Spirited
by stuckinimagination
Summary: Dark AU. If the landscape did not alert him that he was nowhere within his world, then the sight of the bright red sky did. If that was not enough of an indication, then the presence of the winged man was. But Sawada Tsunayoshi was not going to be thrown off by the unknown. He was, after all, a very prideful King. Shonen ai/yaoi. (inspired by Epic Fantasy novels)
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I am simply borrowing the characters for this story. This fanfic will be as original as it can be. Similarities with other fanfics are not intended. The story is not related to any real story and similarities are simply coincidence. Reference to real life places are just to set the setting. This is strictly a work of fiction.**

 **Warning: There might be a hint of shounen-ai. Also, OOC characters and dark theme.**

* * *

The wind flapped the coat of his court attire, moving the chain connecting his pins indicating his status. The sun was glaring down at him but weirdly, he neither felt hot or cold.

The air was filled with the familiar stenches of blood and rotten corpses but the ground was clear with no signs of the aforementioned things. No matter how many times he looked around the place, he could not recognise it as any part of his or the nearby land. The land looked abandoned. Unclaimed.

The trees still stood tall but the sight of the claw-like branches suggested that it had been a while since the trees were full of life. In fact the whole stretches of land looked dead and empty with no signs of life at all.

A wry smile came to his face.

If the landscape did not alert him that he was nowhere near his world, then the sight of the bright red sky did. It did not look like the red tinted sky he usually saw during dusk. The sky was literally painted blood red and he briefly wondered if the iron-like smell came from it.

Curious as to where he was, he took a step forward with every intention to survey the land more but before he could do anything, he immediately ducked his head in reflex as something flew dangerously close to his head. He felt something tickling his ear no doubt belonging to the new arrival. His head immediately snapped to the direction of the dark silhouette and found a man grinning down at him from one of the trees.

He could not help but compare the sight to the gothic paintings that decorated his library. The man was enclosed by darkness even as the red of the sky provided a stark contrast against him. There was a majestic air around the man accompanied by an aura so suffocating that he felt his own hair rose in response. The man's hair was the shade of the purest of ebony with a pair of distinctive curly sideburn and his dark eyes were promising all kinds of mischief. There were black appendages on the man's back splayed for the entire world to see even as he crouched onto the deceptively thin branch. Wings, he noted.

"Well, well, well. Look what the cat brought in after all these while."

He lifted his head slightly in response, finding the appropriate angle to gaze straight at the man without having to strain his neck. The man drank inthe gesture with unconcealed mirth, finding the brunet's lack of fear amusing.

"This isn't an ordinary dusk," he responded. "Where am I?" he softly asked but the demand in his voice was loud.

The winged man barely reacted but he could see the slight stretching of his already wide grin. "Is that a favour I hear?"

"A favour?"

"A favour," the man confirmed. "Information itself is a favour and it doesn't come without a price. Not in this place." His wings moved playfully, his face depicting the boredom he was experiencing as if he had been answering the same question over and over again. He jumped down and appeared in front of him in less than a second, his face so close that he could smell his clean breath. "What can you offer me?" he drawled.

He did not flinch, not even as he stared deep into the bottomless orbs of the winged man. He breathed.

"I would be able to offer you something if I know at all what I have to offer in the first place," he answered truthfully. He looked down at himself, noticing that he had nothing on his person except for the clothes that he was wearing. He looked at the other man who he now realized was actually wearing a yellow dress shirt on top of a black dress pants. He wondered how he could not have seen the striking colour in the first place.

The man smirked, his eyes filled with mischief. "I will not ask for anything much. I want access to your land, King Sawada Tsunayoshi."

He just stared, not at all surprised that the man knew of his name. The man's eyes were filled to the brim with knowledge and confidence that made Tsuna wonder the extent of it. He spent only three seconds thinking about it before he nodded his assent, deciding to simply take the risk.

The man's lips stretched to a more unnatural wide grin, displaying his teeth. He backed away and counted on his fingers. He counted up to five before he met Tsuna's gaze again. "It seems like I owe you five information for the price that you've paid."

Tsuna's eyes narrowed. He remembered that he only asked for one favour and had prudently thought that the price that he paid was for that one piece of information.

The man seemed to enjoy the realization dawning on him and just smirked. His forefinger went up first. "Now, to answer your question. This place is a special dimension, you can say, for your kind. But of course, not only Kings are in here. Anyone who ended up becoming part of the political plays may end up dwelling here in this dimension too."

Tsuna blinked at the information, still not comprehending anything. He opened his mouth but was stopped by the man's finger on his lips.

"Shh," he grinned. "You paid for that one question only. Unless you have some other method to pay me with, then I suggest that you should shut your mouth." He chuckled darkly. "How much you pay will only determine the number of information I will be giving you in return for that very question." When he saw that the brunet was not going to say anything, he pulled his finger and frowned, the glint in his eyes betraying his expression. "Looks like you've just wasted my time. That'll cost you the price for one piece of information." He pushed out two more fingers, taking great amusement from the brunet's glower. "Three," he drawled slowly, almost chuckling at the look the brunet gave him. "There is a game being played. You'll be given all your wealth and riches as you previously owned and continue the power play that you used to live for to rise above all in this realm and," a fourth finger went up, "if you refuse to play the game, well, you will find that out yourself soon enough."

Tsuna waited with bated breath when the final finger went up.

"And the last one….Let me think of what left I can tell you," he feigned a thinking pose with a hand under his chin before grinning. "Ahh, you're dead. So to put it short, this is your afterlife. A version of Hell for your kind."

The brunet's eyes widened but his lips twitched.

The dark-haired man looked satisfied with that reaction. Without waiting for the information to settle in, he continued, "We haven't gotten a new player for centuries, at least not someone of your status." His wing twitched. "With the ruckus that you caused, I wouldn't doubt that every single being in this realm is now alerted of your arrival, King Tsunayoshi of House Sawada."

"And yet you're the only one who came," Tsuna commented.

The man's eyes narrowed for the first time, not caring that the insult was probably unintentional.

"But there is probably a reason for that," Tsuna then continued, not wanting to push away the winged man who, right now, held all the answers to all the questions in his head.

"Only a number can enter this place and I am one of them. Where we are now is a place of limbo. The only beings that would be unaffected will be my kind and the newcomers. Look up," he commanded and Tsuna did so without question. "The red sky is poison to the others and to you once you leave this place."

Tsuna heard the underlying threat within the man's voice but kept silent.

The man took a step closer. "I'm here to bring you to cross to the other side."

The man wrapped his arms around him and the next thing he knew they were flying.

* * *

 **AN: Erm, I'm not supposed to start this but I had to.**

 **Kindly review and let me know what you think!**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I am simply borrowing the characters for this story. This fanfic will be as original as it can be. Similarities with other fanfics are not intended. The story is not related to any real story and similarities are simply coincidence. Reference to real life places are just to set the setting. This is strictly a work of fiction.**

 **Warning: There might be a hint of shounen-ai. Also, OOC characters and dark theme.**

* * *

Aria pulled her hand from the indigo coloured flowers of the infamous mountain who threatened to eat off her fingers from her palm. Huffing, she muttered the calming spell she conjured up specifically for the wild plant who was now snarling its teeth at her. The effect was immediate as the uppermost petal turned frigid for one second before slowly bowing down. Satisfied, Aria tried pulling the shadow flower from the stubborn ground of Hades' Mountain before the flower decided to wake up again but before she could, a heavy tremor stopped her midway.

Hissing, she read another spell to increase the gravity pulling her onto the surface of the mountain so that she would not fall to her death. It was just her luck that she was close to the source of the tremor if the vicious shaking of the mountain was any indication. She looked beyond the horizon to the far west of the Kingdom of Superbia. It would be an understatement to say that she was just surprised to see dust gathering on a very large area even from her distance.

Aria was not a young addition to the dimension having spent more than half a million years in it. She had seen this happening multiple times and she knew what it means when a land appeared out of nowhere. There was a new addition to the dimension and the large castle surrounded by tall brick walls and water told her that they finally have another King after a few centuries.

Aria could not help but let out a soft laugh. Finally the game would change. Excellent, because she found the progress to be quite stagnant lately.

She just hoped that the new addition would be able to put up a fight.

* * *

The winged man left him in front of the entrance of the gate to his castle, murmuring about something that he should be doing before flying off to who knew where.

When the man told him that he would be given the wealth and riches as he previously owned, Tsuna did not expect to see his castle sitting in the middle of nowhere. The compound of his abode was surrounded by various lush green and brown leaves simultaneously depicting a picture of spring and autumn that he did not remember seeing beyond his castle gates. Gone were the wooden stalls for the morning market. Gone were the smiles of the civilians as they greeted him when they found him sneaking away from his duties. Gone was the fountain where children of his city tend to play around at.

He closed his eyes, listening to his surroundings expecting the calming sounds of nature but instead there were howls and giggles that made his hair stood on his arms. He opened his eyes, trying to find the origin of the sounds he could still hear echoing in his ears but there was no one in the vicinity.

He stepped through the gate, ignoring the whispers asking him not to leave yet. There was no sign of his servants running about doing their everyday chores, no sign of his soldiers practicing in the front courtyard of his castle. He was totally alone in this place. He did not expect to see anyone but when the winged man talked about the political play he would be playing, he had thought that he would be equipped with soldiers ready for battle.

He then walked towards the familiar bridge, the only one leading to his castle, not minding the dark coloured water surrounding it. The wooden entrance slid upwards as he was approaching but when he looked up to the watch tower, silently noting the lack of bird flying on the blue sky, no one was manning it.

There was no sign of life within the gate.

* * *

Three days passed according to the gigantic clock in the castle's lobby. Tsuna was not sure how time passed in the dimension but the fact that not a night went by during the past seventy-two hours was enough to inform him that time did not pass normally in this realm, a fact that he immediately wrote down into the empty notebook he found in his library. If his calculation is right, then he should be expecting for ten days until one whole day passed.

The first thing that he did after checking his bedroom was head to the library where he had spent the time going through every possible resources but he found nothing worth noting.

It was only then that he decided to go over to the watch tower, determined to learn what was beyond the castle walls. He looked through the telescope on the tower scanning the area beyond the walls but nothing. Frustrated, he went back down and walked towards the gate. He could not find anything about this world if he stayed cooped up within the confines of his castle.

As soon as he was out of the gate, the sound of howling and giggling and whispering greeted him again. A voice came too close by his ear, phantom hands pulling onto his lobe.

" _Invite us in, King Tsunayoshi of House Sawada,"_ it whispered in its haunting echoing voice. _"Invite us in and you shall not be lonely anymore."_

He paused and tilted his head, still feeling the touch on his lobe. "And you are?"

" _And he speaks!"_ the voice exclaimed gleefully, its hands letting his ear go. _"And he acknowledged us!"_ Something buzzed against his ears causing his hand to twitch at the tickling sensation.

He waited patiently as the voice continued reporting things to the others of its kind, not stopping his walk towards the forest, aware of the invisible creatures following him.

" _King Tsunayoshi, simply invite us and we'll show you who we are."_

He followed the dirt path through the forest, believing that it would lead him out. His hair stood to attention when he felt eyes on him but no matter where he looked, there were only tall trees and brightly coloured flowers. He memorized his surroundings in case he got lost on his way, not daring to touch any of the unfamiliar nature.

" _Ahh, we're embarrassed. They're looking. They're jealous of us!"_

Tsuna held himself back from asking who they were talking about. His stride became larger and faster as various voices, different from the one that had been talking to him, made themselves known. Detached. Haunting.

Even in the afterlife, he could not escape them.

A familiar flapping of wings stopped him in his stride. A shadow then slammed onto the ground in front of him. The shadow teasingly threw a gust of wind in his direction with a swing of his wings. He closed his eyes in response, almost regretting not wearing his coat until the neither hot nor cold air brushed his skin. In the back of his head, he heard the sound of things scrambling about.

" _It's Reborn!"_ it yelled among few others. Their whispers getting further away and the next second, it was as quiet as in his castle. _"Run, run!"_

There was a sign of hilarity in the man's eyes and Tsuna wondered what he was seeing that Tsuna was not able to.

"You're one of a kind, King Sawada Tsunayoshi, attracting all these ghouls to your very being."

 _So those creatures were ghouls._ Tsuna blinked before a satisfied smile came to his face. "So your name is Reborn."

A glint. Then a chuckle. "That is what I'm known by."

* * *

Colonello blinked at the note that suddenly appeared on his desk on top of the map of Áspros, the neutral land beside the Kingdom of Gastrimargia, he had covering his table.

They currently stationed their encampment by the gorge, preparing for the battle with the Fávlos, a barbarian clan filled with demons of late night horror stories who ate other beings for fun. It was Colonello who instigated the clan for the battle, boredom clouding his decision. He had been on his way to the river when he saw one of the Fávlos, a being with grey elven ears, balding head and the face of a gargoyle with a body that looked like a number of the living world's animals grotesquely sewn together, eating one of the lesser demons.

It was then that he decided that a more challenging battle might give him something to look forward to. He was well aware of the risk of losing to the clan. No being would get out alive from being eaten and the end result was something that every reasonable being would like to avoid. But he had decided and the moment he threw his spear to the Fávlos, he had no regret.

It did not take long for the head of the clan to react by sending a group of its beings to turn Colonello's encampment upside down causing him to lose about thirty of his soldiers but as Colonello watched his soldiers being consumed, there was no sign of remorse on his face. Only delight showed and the dark satisfaction that his challenge was answered.

He put down the piece of lesser demon meat he was devouring, not caring that it dirtied the map on his table, and picked up the piece of paper using his clean hand, interest gnawing at his brain.

 _A new King entered the game. Halt all battles. A procession to welcome the King will start at the hour of the dusk._

Despite the fact that his plan was hindered, a show of teeth expressed his delight at the news. It seems like the tide would be disturbed. He threw the piece of paper towards the serene looking man currently cleaning the blade of his sword. The other man easily snatched the paper before it hit him, placing his sword in between his legs with the end of the blade puncturing the canvas covering on the ground.

"It seems like Reborn finally got a new toy, kora," the blonde haired man commented to his companion who immediately read the piece of paper, his eyes quickly scanning the words on it. Once. Twice. "A big one too."

The Chinese looking man just hummed in response, mindlessly igniting fire with his bare hand. The fire crackled, eating up the piece of paper until it turned to soot. He then stared at the opened tent entrance at the soldiers wandering about, not even blinking at the sight of one of the soldiers fucking a woman from the nearby village at their resting bench.

"Oh, you're not interested?" Colonello asked, his teeth ripping through the meat of the lesser demon back in his hand. "That's unusual. You've always been the curious one, rushing to be the first one to look at the new one after Reborn."

A soft smile came to his face. "There's no point. There'll be a procession to welcome him." A glint flashed in his dark eyes.

Colonello, recognising the glint, shook his head in amusement. "Well, I have no objection as long as he's cute." His lips widened in a feral grin while pointing at himself. "This one needs a fresh action." He guffawed at his own joke.

Fon chuckled, "I don't think Reborn would let you touch the little one. At least not until he got tired of him."

That statement did not manage to wipe off Colonello's grin. "I just hope he would not mess with the poor King's head too much. That damn bastard has a way of driving people insane, more so than they already are." Another bite. "Which Kingdom is he assigned to?"

Fon's eyes seemed to flash red for a moment, turning distant. His smile widened showing the sharp teeth behind his lips, when it started to focus again. "Superbia. No, _Vanagloria_." He breathed. "The No Man's Land."

"Mmm," Colonello responded simply, the wings behind him twitching.

* * *

Tsuna did not make much of a fuss when Reborn told him about the procession planned for him, a celebration to welcome and introduce the new King in the game. He simply went back to the direction of his castle, ignoring the whining of _'Not fair!'_ from the ghouls when they saw Reborn entering his castle, intending to pick up his coat and walked to their destination which Reborn assured him was within walking distance.

It was only when they journey out of his castle compound that he asked Reborn, no longer able to ignore the whining of the ghouls.

"What does it mean to invite someone into my land?"

The mocking look in the other's eyes were starting to get old but Tsuna bit back his tongue knowing that the winged being was currently his only bet at getting all the information in this realm.

"Now you're asking," he made sure Tsuna saw his smirk while effortlessly moving through the forest, looking as if he already memorised the path. Tsuna reckoned he probably did. Reborn may look like he was in his early thirties but Tsuna would not be surprised if his appearance betrayed his actual age, a factor that he considered no longer important in this afterlife. "A King is special in the way that his land can only be entered by beings to whom he gave his permission to. Think of it like how only certain people are allowed to enter castles in the living world. The permission acts as a safety precaution to ensure that the King will not be easily eliminated."

Tsuna was a sharp man by nature, an ability that he honed after years and years of trying to survive the people of his court. His Councils and Ministers had been very cunning people, plotting his death at every opportunity. They had not been happy when he ascended the throne despite the fact that he was the only rightful heir being the previous King and Queen's only offspring. Even before getting the throne, Tsuna knew that the people of his court wanted to put an end to the monarch, believing that a more democratic system would be better for their country.

Therefore, he easily caught onto how easily Reborn answered his question in detail without asking for some kind of a payment, a finding that he did not hesitate to point out to the other man.

"Whatever happens to the fact that information does not come as a price?" he smoothly commented, effectively hiding his displeasure at being tricked so easily.

"Hmm, I wonder?" was Reborn's only reply but that was all Tsuna needed to know that there was never a price to pay.

"The ghouls," he continued instead. "Why can't I see them?"

Reborn glanced at him again. "Many humans can't see ghouls. They're not meant to be seen. Their reason for living is to haunt your species."

"What would've happened if I allow them into my land?"

"Then they'll haunt you every day, every night, every hour, every minute and every second," the reply was sarcastic as if the answer should have been obvious.

Tsuna bristled but did not react. "And if I want to see them, can I?"

"You can." Reborn provided nothing more.

"You say that this is the afterlife and yet you said that I can be eliminated still."

Reborn hummed.

Tsuna twitched in annoyance but tried again. "I can't die again. Can I?"

"Death is certain, even in here. You can die over and over again but you'll be able to live again."

"What if I refused to follow you and prefer to stay in limbo?"

A dark grin. "Then you'll stay there. Not dead. Not alive."

* * *

Reborn had brought him to the General City, the only neutral land on which no battle should ever be carried. The city was usually closed off from the public but that day was special. That day was the day of his procession.

As far as procession went, Tsuna was used to it. He was familiar with sitting within a carriage pulled by horses with his soldiers flanking at every side. His people would shout their congratulations at him, basking vicariously in whatever glory he managed to achieve at that time. He was used to people fighting to get near him as got off his carriage, wanting to at least touch him. Men wanted to be as brave as him. Women wanted his luck.

Inevitably, he expected the same.

Instead, he stood tall in a decorated chariot pulled by prideful dark coloured stallions. Instead of soldiers flanking his every side, there was Reborn. Similarly, voices filled the street but instead of praises and congratulations, it was one of judgment. Instead of feeling celebrated, it felt like he was on a parade, challenging the multiple onlookers.

And judging from the looks they were giving, humans and demons alike, he knew that they were responding.

Not minding what this entailed, he smiled at them causing some of the less patient ones to be riled.

"What would happen if they attack me on this sacred land?"

Reborn raised an eyebrow at the obvious sarcasm lacing his tone when he said the word sacred. He knew that the tone was intended. "Then they'll be punished."

"What kind of punishment?" Tsuna pushed.

"They'll be placed under the red sky."

Tsuna's eyes caught a glaring pair but he paid it no heed.

"My castle. It's empty."

Reborn waited.

"I want your assistance in collecting soldiers."

The demon grinned.

* * *

 **AN: Omg, thank you for the review, follows and favorites, guys! This was supposed to be out together with the prologue but I finally have time to upload it. I have been reading too much epic fantasy novels and that's how this story came about.**

 **Kindly leave me a review on your way out, please!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I am simply borrowing the characters for this story. This fanfic will be as original as it can be. Similarities with other fanfics are not intended. The story is not related to any real story and similarities are simply coincidence. Reference to real life places are just to set the setting. This is strictly a work of fiction.**

 **Warning: There might be a hint of shounen-ai. Also, OOC characters and dark theme.**

* * *

He found the new King standing behind the crenelated parapet, gaze fixated on the rough terrain beyond the General City, seeing things indecipherable by normal people.

But he saw it. The thirst to know what laid beyond what the King could see. The hunger to gobble up the land beyond. The anger at being ridiculed.

Oh, he knew. Reborn knew that the King could feel it in his bones, scratching against his skin, irritating his ears as the crude words of the other beings reached his ears. He could see the taunting smile slowly forming on the King's face, promising them to take back their words, taking the unbidden comments as a mere challenge.

Reborn's blood boiled and laughter full of mirth was bubbling up his throat. He knew the King would need his help.

Help, he would, in consideration for the chaos that would return again. Hell had been so peaceful as of late. It should not be. It should never have been. He would make sure that he would see the realm being brought back to its natural glory.

* * *

Tsuna could not even bother counting the days anymore after the third day. The longer hours became more prominent and Tsuna felt bored to death. He had done many things just to get rid of his boredom but nothing worked.

He tried spending the days in the library, reading the books that he had not touched during his time alive. One book became two, two became three and after the fifth one, he thought that it would not do him any good just sitting inside his castle reading.

So he spent his second day checking his castle keeps and made sure the weapons at the battlement walls were still in good conditions. He was surprised to find his underground weapon room to still be in the condition he last saw it. Even the ammunitions that he bought from one of his allied countries were still there as if it was never used.

This was one thing he could get used to.

It was only the next day that he decided to venture on the outside of his land again.

* * *

The flowers rose to attention and the tree barks stood straighter than usual, casting its uneasiness to the air. Invisible questioning eyes moved to the stranger as the stranger moved through the forest while avoiding touching any of them.

There was a glow on top of the stranger's head, almost invisible but it was obvious to their keen eyes. A delighted mumble was immediately shared among them as they recognized who the stranger was.

" _The King! The King comes to visit again!_ " announced the genderless _ghul_ who transformed itself to a size smaller. The _ghul_ was always in the forest as if it was its own, disturbing the spirits who called the place their home. They could no longer remember when it started or where the _ghul_ originated from. It levitated around the human King, the air around it crackling with energy. It grinned fiendishly at the flowers and trees. " _Ahh, they're jealous! They're jealous of us again!_ "

Murmurs of agreement came from around the _ghul_ but none came from the spirits.

It then circled around the King, whispering its seduction, small hands pulling on everything that it could reach but the King barely paid it any heed. Instead, the King's eyes were trained on the other beings in the forest, eyes confident as if he could see each being.

The King stared straight at the royal blue-leaved tree and the spirit of the tree bristled, unseen to the King's human eyes. Whiteless orbs, the colour of the angry sea, looked back into the King's eyes, wondering.

The King stepped forward, ignoring the promises of goods from the _ghul_. He said nothing even as his hands stretch out towards the tree.

The tree spirit was startled. "Can you...see me?"

The King did not answer but his arm stopped reaching. The King's almost orange eyes were stained with an unhealthy curiosity, a dose that he rarely saw from any previously mortal beings.

He then realized that the King could not have seen him, as he should be, but it was the words of the _ghul_ that led the King towards him. The _ghul_ was feeling insulted that the King was ignoring it for him and he could not contain the victorious smile at gaining the King's attention despite not having the means to communicate with him.

He took the King's hands in his branch-like one, purposefully letting his makeshift fingers scratching the King's inner palm. The King looked surprised but smiled that oddly winning smile at him, the same way when the King discovered the name of the _galla_ who scared away the _ghul_.

"Come to my land."

He could immediately feel his skin shifted at the demand-like invitation and judging from the slight change of emotion in the King's eyes, he knew the bark-like tissues covering his limbs became visible to the King.

For the first time since he saw the King, he opened his mouth to speak.

"With pleasure, my King."

* * *

Aria looked up from her concoction when the door to her cottage creaked open without so much of an announcement. A man with a tuft of unkempt green hair entered with not so much of a greeting and went on to scrutinize every vial standing on her rotting cabinet.

"Welcome, Verde," Aria greeted while continue stirring her mixture. "What great things have I achieved to have the pleasure of having the amazing wizard of Avaritia gracing me with his presence?"

Verde fixed the glasses to an upright position as soon as he finished reading the label of the container he was holding. ' _Petals of a shadow flower, a sprinkle of basilisk's ash, and a strand of gorgon's hair_. _For paralysing_ ,' he realized. "Have you seen the new King?"

Aria smiled softly at the obvious interest the man was showing. The number of times the man showed any interest in any things other than spells and concoction could be tallied. "I'm afraid I don't have a story to tell."

Verde was already reading the label on the fifth container. "I haven't too. But I've heard things."

"He must be a very impressionable man to have made the people talk," Aria commented offhandedly, not really interested in the conversation.

"A man who is crazy enough to challenge the whole realm, more like," Verde retorted with a tsk. "Maybe Reborn is at fault. He selected a black war chariot for him, decorated from the skin of a basilisk pulled by two dark horses no doubt transported from the depths of Hell, protected by Reborn himself. But it doesn't seem like the King knows what that entails."

Aria laughed at the obvious message that was giving. "The Prince of Hell is finally taking his side after all these while of doing _favours_."

"Favours he'll come claming, no doubt. I wonder what he sees in the King. It has been a while since he was sentenced to leading the new souls here yet never once had he shown this much enthusiasm."

Aria just giggled. "Hearing Reborn and enthusiasm in one sentence sounds so weird." An understanding smile came to her face. "But who knows. Maybe it's finally time for him to turn over a new leaf again to get his life out of that monotonous routine he's been leading. I've been wondering when he'll break away from that nonexistent chain tying him down." Aria stopped stirring when she realized what exactly was Verde getting at. "You're not interested about the King. You're interested only because Reborn is interested."

The green haired man finally smiled, cold yet interested, a vision that would have sent shivers to a lesser being. "What that _galla_ is interested in is usually a premonition of chaos."

* * *

Tsuna found himself walking deeper in the forest, away from the crafted path that led outside of it. He could not hide the awe on his face when the myriad of colors attacked his eyes, a harsh combination of bold colors that would normally entailed that something was not right.

It was beautiful. Even as it lit the uneasiness burning in his stomach.

They stopped in front of a low weeping Japanese maple tree, the leaves the shade of harsh autumn. The tree spirit, Pthalo it said its name was, leaned forward towards the shrub whispering words in a language that Tsuna was not familiar with. Not long after that, the leaves moved but there was no wind. He turned to Pthalo who was silently urging him forward.

Pthalo started to talk again in that weird language but this time, he knew that Pthalo was introducing him to whoever it was that he was talking to. Tsuna stared at the general area where he thought the other spirit was at and it was only as Pthalo finished explaining who he was that the tree spirit turned to him.

"My King," Pthalo said in his monotonous voice. "I bring you to the abode of the strongest spirit of the forest as you requested. Viridis, my King, is one of the few tree spirits who managed to live through the Battle of the Spirits and he had also been involved in a battle with one demon clan in the north."

Tsuna stepped forward, careful not to step onto the spirit's toes. "And his knowledge?"

"Not as vast as the Prince of Hell, my King. But enough."

"And this Prince of Hell is?"

"The _galla_ who helped you, my King. Reborn is given the name for being one of the most long-standing demon that the other beings are starting to call him the _Prince of Hell_ even though everyone knows that that name was given to him by Colonello in jest."

Tsuna hummed, taking note to ask more about this Colonello person and to call the annoying demon, Reborn, by his nickname. Tsuna could not see the demon acting well to it and he liked the thought of getting the demon riled. The demon was not the only one who could play others. Tsuna spent almost of his life playing around with people's life.

"Hmm…" Tsuna put a hand under his chin in thought. He lifted his head high up and let his eyes stayed at the empty space on the cloudless sky. "I like this forest," he started, brushing his boots against the greenish yellow glass, not breaking his gaze. "But I like knowledge better. Written knowledge. Books. Is there such thing in this realm? A medium where knowledge is transferred to?"

"The higher demons do tend to have a library of scrolls, my King. But spirits like us are only well-versed in the language of nature. If I do say so myself, my King, my specialty is in reading the sea."

"And Viridis?"

Pthalo paused to listen to Viridis. "Terrains," he finally answered. "Viridis is skilled in the language of terrains, as long as there is earth on it." He was listening again and this time, he looked startled. "My King, if you don't mind me asking, why are you staring at the sky?"

"I want to get my message across," Tsuna said, smiling.

The maple tree shook and Tsuna could not help the amused grin on his face as Pthalo emotionlessly conveyed the message that the other spirit was asking him to convey. "Viridis expressed his interest to join your court, my King, if you will let him."

"Then he shall join," Tsuna consented, the outline of the tall green bark starting to form. The spirit's mouth was set in a wide grin as opposed to Pthalo's whose mouth seems to be in a permanent line. There were tears of laughter running down his eyes, wetting his dry skin. "I will, however, need you to prepare for me a map of the realm as far as you know it. I want to know exactly the whereabouts of the lands with all the necessary details. I want to know if the land is originally from here or if someone from my world brought it with them on their appearance in this realm. I want to know who owns which and how it came to that. All the history of the land should be recorded and I do not care if it's simply your opinion or prediction but do state if it's a fact or simply a thought. Pthalo will assist in regards to the seas."

The tall spirit did not bow but with a deep voice, it accepted Tsuna's preposition. "Gladly, my King."

Tsuna smiled. "Then I'll bring the both of you to my castle." He looked unsurely at the tall spirit. "I'm not quite sure if you'll fit though."

The spirit laughed, his guffaws reminding Tsuna of the nice Elder who always made sure that Tsuna's poison taster would always try his food first before he touched it. "I can fit anywhere, my King. I am, after all, a spirit. Our particle is made up of different compositions than beings with a physical body like yours, Your Highness."

* * *

Colonello frowned, looking at the mess that was the Fávlos' war camp. He had been waiting for them to come to their camp, considering their instinctive ways of doing things, but they never appeared. His soldiers had been laughing victoriously, believing that the Fávlos turned on their tails, admitting defeat as soon as they saw that there was no way for them to win.

But one sweeping look around their camp was enough for him to gather that there had not been anyone entering the area. Their camp was in an open area near their gorge that it would be impossible for them to miss the appearance of the Fávlos considering the commotion that they usually brought with them.

It had been the right decision to go to their war camp to check. The Fávlos was completely pulverized, their body unforgivingly torn up and their organs plucked and pulled from their sockets before being thrown aside haphazardly. Colonello could not be sure if they were eaten but remembering the vile taste of the Fávlos meat, he pitied those who hated the clan enough to be eating them. It had been a dare for him when he tried it and he vowed to never again put the repulsive meat that should never be made for consumption in his mouth ever again.

"I think someone is playing with them," Fon pondered out loud, running his forefinger among the ugly green grime covering the ground.

Colonello could not hide his disgust at Fon's action. "You might want to wash your hand. You don't know what they've been putting in their mouth, kora."

Fon paid no heed but eventually wiped his finger on Colonello's trusty sniper which the other took off his person and placed on the clean rock while the blonde surveyed the area. He stood up from his crouching position and hid his hands within his sleeves, staring at the river when he saw a movement. He approached it just in time as various limbs fixed back together in a sickening sight into a lump of unsymmetrical vision. Looks like one of the Fávlos had finally returned.

He waited, Colonello coming to stand next to him. He felt his nails scratching against the skin of his knuckles, wanting to be let out and he allowed it. He heard a crack, automatically shifting to his left, allowing Colonello to fully form the wings on his back.

They saw the Fávlos' eyes immediately trained on them as soon as it gained back its sight and the snarl that would have resounded if not for the absence of its mouth. Fon immediately pushed his right foot back at the obvious sign of animosity directed at them and he saw Colonello doing the same as similar claws appeared on the blonde's knuckles.

"We're here to check on you," Fon started, his stance betraying his calm voice. "We found your camp destroyed, your clan teared apart."

"Judging from you though, it doesn't seem like you were killed for good,"Colonello chipped in, earning a disapproving stare from Fon that he could feel without looking. "Were you left to sing the song for your murderers then? A song to celebrate the victorious?"

The mouth formed and the Fávlos finally let out the snarl he was unable to express. No words came from its mouth.

"Ah," Fon suddenly said. "I've completely forgotten that they can't speak." He swiped his claws clean through the Fávlos' head before cutting its body back into pieces, this time smaller then it was when they found it recovering. A serene smile came to his lips even as the harsh words left his mouth. "Useless."

Colonello shook his head, used to the other demon's theatrics. "What do you think the other's intention is? Can this be for us?" A toothy grin came to Colonello's face at the thought, his thirst for battle failed to be quenched yet again. "Or better, we can assume that it's for us."

"I would think that this is more for the Fávlos," Fon mentioned, taking his leave from the forest, not even caring that he was stepping on the corpses of the demons. "It would certainly hurt their pride that they were forced to not appear on a battle. Imagine the news that would be spread throughout the realm. _The Fávlos clan backing out from a battle_. That wouldn't do anything good to their reputation."

Colonello laughed, an amused glint in his blue eyes. "I agree with you. That will be a good story to tell."

* * *

Tsuna did not bother hiding the surprise in his eyes when he saw Reborn rummaging through his cupboard, leaving the doors open.

"There's nothing that can be consumed here," stated Reborn, not even bothering pulling his head out of the seventh cupboard he went through. "What have you been eating this past few days?"

Tsuna shrugged and went to sit at the stool near the counter that he previously saw his cooks used to cut down the carcass of the animals his hunters got from the forest. He stared at the demon's back, eyes trailing down the lazy wings. "Whatever I can find."

"I'll bring you to taste some lesser demon meats one of these days. Of course, you'll hunt it yourself, Tsuna."

An unhappy smile appeared on his face. "Tsuna?" he repeated but seeing that the demon was obviously ignoring him, he then continued. "What brings you here, Reborn?" A teasing smile came to his face. "Or should I start calling you the _Prince of Hell_ too?"

That seemed to get the demon's attention but the genuine smile that came to Reborn's face made Tsuna second thought his action.

"Did the two tree spirits down the hall tell you about that?" Reborn suddenly appeared in front of his eyes the next second, Tsuna stubbornly staying his ground. "Do you want to know about the reason why I'm given that name, Tsuna?"

"For a good reason, I would think."

"Yes, a good reason. A reason that you will come to see in the coming days. Hours, even." A sadistic gleam came to Reborn's eyes as he pulled back, disappointed at the lack of fear in Tsuna's eyes but happy that he could at least surprised the brunet.

"I see," Tsuna said out loud in thought. "I look forward to see this greatness to warrant you such nickname that put you to a place of royalty."

Reborn took the insult in stride and grinned. "It is the sign of acknowledgment of my accomplishments, King." Reborn purposefully pushed the button that would bring the most reaction from the King and there it was. The pure competitiveness shining through the King's eyes.

"By hours, how many are you predicting?"

"Oh? I did not realize my King knows how to read the time flowing in this realm already."

 _Dame_ rang in Tsuna's ears. Anger formed at the obvious insult but he forced a civil smile on his face. "I only have the slightest inkling in the way time works here. I do, however, found a nice smart spirit to help me with those kinds of things." Tsuna pushed back the stool and stood without breaking eye contact. "Well, I look forward to the next few hours."

* * *

 **AN: Thank you so much for the reviews, favorites and follows! I'm glad you guys liked the first chapter. Please do tell me what you guys think of this second chapter! I look forward to reading your reviews!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I am simply borrowing the characters for this story. This fanfic will be as original as it can be. Similarities with other fanfics are not intended. The story is not related to any real story and similarities are simply coincidence. Reference to real life places are just to set the setting. This is strictly a work of fiction.**

 **Warning: There might be a hint of shounen-ai. Also, OOC characters and dark theme.**

* * *

The sun went down, giving way to dusk. Tsuna was watching the transition from the balcony connected to his bedroom when he saw what looked like a man coming from the direction of the forest.

Curious, he picked up his robe and his revolver before heading towards the front. As soon as he stepped out onto the bridge, Viridis materialised beside him, still as enormous as he last saw him.

"I can't sense any ill intention, my King," the spirit began, frowning. "I felt him when he went through the forest but since you were in your room, I wasn't sure if I should disturb you."

"There's no need to notify me if you can't feel any bad intention, Viridis, but I thank you for that." He carefully put the revolver in the pocket of his robe when he saw the winged demon standing in front of the gate, smiling meaningfully at him. "Judging from the look of it, it might just be Reborn's acquaintance."

Viridis chuckled. "I would be more worried if it's indeed an acquaintance of Sir Reborn, my King." He shook his head slightly in disbelief. "Sir Reborn's acquaintances are very peculiar beings."

Tsuna's lips curled up in humor at the respectful title that the spirit attached to Reborn's name. Respect did not sound like something that someone would associate Reborn with. Tsuna had only spent a couple of hours with the demon but it was enough for him to know that Reborn was the kind of person who just loved to get under another person's skin. It would not be surprising if Reborn had more enemies than he could count on his fingers. Not a likeable trait, in Tsuna's opinion. "Where's Pthalo?"

"I am not sure, my King. I haven't seen Pthalo since we went our separate ways earlier."

"I hope that the both of you haven't worked yourselves too hard. I would not like it if you compelled yourselves to provide results. I want your work to be accurate and precise, not just a hurling of the words just to fill in the empty spaces."

"Noted, your Majesty."

Tsuna thought that the spirit would stay but Viridis disappeared as soon as they were a few steps away from Reborn.

Tsuna shook his head at the dismissing look that Reborn was sporting, most probably directed at Viridis. "Is that someone you know who's coming towards the gate?"

Reborn smiled that mysterious smile that seemed to emit danger. "It is but I'm afraid he's not the one I'm actually waiting for. This one is useless."

As if hearing what Reborn just said, there was a shout of 'Reborn-senpai!' coming from the other side of the wall. Tsuna shook his head again before pulling the lever.

The gate opened revealing a man with messy purple hair and a plain black mask covering half of his face. On seeing Tsuna, the man's eyes crinkled as his knuckles knocked on the invisible wall separating Tsuna from the world outside his land in greeting.

"Hello," he greeted enthusiastically. "You must be King Tsunayoshi, the rumoured newcomer."

Tsuna was temporarily distracted by the thick amount of purple kohl and the long eyelashes before eyeing the man questioningly. "And you are?"

"I'm the almighty Skull!" The man introduced with a dramatic grin. Skull shifted the weight on his left shoulder, bringing Tsuna's attention to the purple coloured sack, the shade of his hair.

Tsuna raised an eyebrow, turning to Reborn. "Are you inviting your friends to my land?"

Reborn frowned for a bit before stepping out of the invisible gate. "I may know him but that doesn't mean that he's a friend of mine." He kicked the purple haired man for emphasis. "Where are they?"

To Skull's credit, he only recoiled. "I went to their camp but they weren't there. When I asked their soldiers, they said they went scouting."

Tsuna's ears perked up at the mere mention of soldiers. Is Reborn acting on his request? He stepped forward, beyond the protection, missing the eyes that followed his every move. "What exactly is happening for them to scout?"

"Same old, most probably," the purple-haired man, shrugging. "Those two are often involved in battles and words are they provoked the Fávlos."

"And where did they go?"

"I don't know, but," he paused dramatically. "Enough questions, my King. I have something I would like to do."

Before Tsuna knew it, the demon jumped towards Tsuna, his black mask gone, his elongated teeth shining dangerously at him.

A memory flashed by Tsuna's mind. He heard the loud sound of cheering surrounding him, urging the beast to devour him. He then saw the painted wild dog running towards him, teeth out and the intention to tear through his skin clear.

Tsuna did not hesitate. Not that time and not this time either. His hand immediately reached for his gun and he pulled the trigger, the barrel already aiming for the brains.

* * *

Colonello and Fon arrived at their base camp seeing a few of their soldiers scalded and some with their limbs blown but none of them looked badly injured. One particular soldier was seething at his fellow soldiers, two of whom were playing with his fallen arms in what looked like sparring session while laughing merrily.

Colonello frowned, setting a pair of inquisitive eyes to the nearest soldier who just unhelpfully placed a fallen limb on the ground near the soldier who owned it. "What happened here?"

"Skull happened here," one soldier said bitterly. "He was quite unhappy when he couldn't find the both of you. He wanted to leave something memorable to inform you about his arrival so this happened."

Colonello glanced at Fon who had a thoughtful look on his face. "Did he, by any chance, say his reason for coming here?" Fon brought a folded finger to his chin with one arm across his chest, supporting his elbow, thinking. "It seems like an urgent think if he would leave this little destruction."

"Little?!" Colonello yelled, appalled and incensed but said no further as the soldier cut him off to answer Fon.

"He didn't," the soldier said before he was disturbed by the loud crackling of limbs joined back together. "But I think he did say something about Reborn-senpai forcing him to do a fool's errand. And then he proceeded to create an explosion."

That did not bode well with Colonello. "Kora! That idiot. Does he not know that we are preparing for a battle here?" He picked up the part of a leg he found lying at his feet and waved it around. "What can we do with this when the Fávlos decided to come? Slap them with these? "

"It's not like this is the first time this happens," Fon just commented nonchalantly. He sat down on the clean part of the bench, not caring that the man beside him was leaking blood. "I'm more interested in knowing what exactly Reborn wants us for."

Colonello snorted, seeing Reborn as no more than Skull's accomplice at that moment. "If he wants us for something, he better collect it himself. I won't go there when the King hasn't even granted us any access to his land."

* * *

Tsuna just watched, unsure if he should feel fascinated when the bullet hole in the middle of Skull's forehead slowly closed up. The man's previously dead eyes blinked up to him before a grin came to his face.

Skull stood up and immediately approached Tsuna, hands reaching out to Tsuna's own. Instinctively, Tsuna backed away, eyes still trailing disbelievingly over the man. Before Skull's hands could touch Tsuna though, Reborn pushed Skull backward with his hand wrapped around Skull's forehead in a hold, seething.

"I told you not to do anything. How much of an idiot are you that you're unable to understand a simple command? Baka."

Skull gritted his teeth and defended, "But I wanted to see exactly why you would so openly choose to take his side. I see it now. It's because of his eyes, isn't it? He doesn't hesitate." He snapped his finger causing Reborn's grip to loosen enough for him to free himself. Ignoring Reborn's disdain, his gaze bypassed the winged demon onto the brown-haired human behind him. "Well, King Tsunayoshi, that said, I would like for you to grant me the right to be on your land."

Tsuna took one look at Reborn, but the demon was emotionless. Tsuna was not a masochist, however, to actually invite someone who just obviously tried to kill him. It was then that he suddenly felt prickling envious eyes caused his hair to stand. He looked to the direction of the forest.

For the first time since hearing the ghoul, he could finally see what it looked like. He had heard stories of vengeful spirits before, told by the best storyteller in his Kingdom. He remembered asking for the storyteller to describe the ghoul in her story to the tiniest details.

' _Her hair is as long as her body, the colour of the lightest shade of black with hints of silver lining it_ ,' the storyteller began, her voice low as if it was something that should not be shared. ' _She was dressed in a torn white dress, dirtied and crumpled as if when she died, she was drowned and was unforgivingly knocked by the river current against every one of its nook and cranny, the sharp edges clawing at her skin. Her shoulder slouched, her body weak and her feet were invisible under the dress she was wearing, most probably eaten by the monsters residing in the river. But that isn't the worst part_.' She paused. ' _Some has said that when she looks at you, you'll be engulfed by an unnatural amount of fear triggered by her rotten face, horribly messed up, so horribly messed up that you wouldn't be able to close your eyes after seeing it even if all you want to do is to just run. Her eyes portray undefined emotions so loudly but the loudest of all was the grudge she held directed at everyone_.'

' _At you, my Prince_.'

Tsuna shivered and averted his gaze immediately. He moved backward, feeling the air shift. "I'm afraid I can't grant such request." He gestured at Reborn to follow him. "I have a couple of questions for you."

Skull watched them with unconcealed disbelief, "What the hell? Are you really going to leave me out here?"

Reborn looked pointedly at him. "Oh, he is," he simply said.

* * *

Tsuna was in his study, reading another book he found from the library. He could not focus on any of the words for the life of him no matter how he tried, still a bit shaken from what he saw.

Seeing a ghoul and hearing it talk to him, he realized, were two separate things. The haunting voice had been easy to ignore but when he saw the body connected to it, he was a bit glad that he was unable to see the ghoul.

His thought was interrupted by Reborn entering his office. The demon went toward the deceptively cosy furniture set up in his study for anyone who bothered to come into his office. He smiled drily. He could definitely count the number of times that happened.

"How did the talk go with your friend?" Tsuna asked. He had turned back to see if Reborn was following him earlier but Reborn was talking to Skull in a low voice. He could not bother going back to them understanding that he was not invited to hear whatever they were talking about.

"Again, Tsuna, he's not my friend. Which reminds me, Tsuna," he looked out through one of the large windows decorating Tsuna's office which did not show anything much. "Why didn't you accept that idiot?"

Tsuna looked at him as if he had just asked a stupid question. "Because," Tsuna began slowly, "I'm not desperate enough to have someone who might kill me in my sleep freely roaming in my lands." Viridis might have said that Skull did not have any ill intention but Tsuna knew sometimes there did not need to be any intention. That sometimes it was just an impulse. To him, Skull was, without any doubt, a threat.

Reborn simply nodded, unusually accepting of Tsuna's answer.

"I saw the ghoul earlier," Tsuna decided to tell the demon. "I didn't see it the number of times I was out but earlier I saw it."

"And what did you see?"

"The ghoul," Tsuna repeated patiently. "The ghoul from the forest."

"I know, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn stressed the nickname, ignoring Tsuna's reaction at the name. "I want to know what exactly you saw."

"Does it matter what I see?" Tsuna's sharp mind caught on. "Am I supposed to see something particular?"

Reborn frowned at the vague answer. "I've always seen the _ghul_ , Tsuna. But humans, humans can only see what they fear the most."

Tsuna was puzzled by the answer. "Then why can't I see it before?"

" _Ghuls_ are more powerful during dusk. It is the only time when people who can't see can see them," Reborn thought for a bit. "But there have been some humans who are able to see them without waiting for dusk to arrive."

Tsuna nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised. Some people are more spiritually sensitive." At Reborn's inquisitive stare, he decided that it would not hurt to tell the demon, "I saw a vengeful spirit."

"A vengeful spirit?" Reborn questioned, bemused.

"A vengeful spirit as in a ghost. A non-entity that haunts the person it holds its grudge for. A being that either kills or cause a person to become insane."

Reborn's expression immediately turned amused. "You're afraid of a non-entity? A being that doesn't exist?"

Tsuna suppressed a groan and the need to hit his head at the teasing smile, already regretting telling the other that. "Everyone is allowed to be afraid of something," was his falsely nonchalant answer.

* * *

Skull saw the _ghul_ hovering just in front of the forest, its skin colour ashen grey. It was in its normal size now, staring dangerously at them. At the King.

Skull smiled blithely. It had not even been a week but the King had already made an enemy out of one of the beings who are notorious for holding a grudge over almost nothing due to its unbridled jealousy over anything. The _ghuls_ were known for it, avoided for it, used for it.

He wanted to make them go far away if only to get on the King's good graces and to be invited into the magnificent looking land. But even more so than that, he would love to see how the King would react after seeing whatever he feared the most standing right outside his gate.

He saw the act that the King pulled, his silent retreat as soon as he saw the _ghul_. He immediately derived that the King retreated as soon as he saw what he feared the most but the thought was immediately thrown out of the window as the King's eyes flashed in his mind.

The look on the King's eyes when he struck at him was odd. There was the predicted shock followed by the unusually cold eyes that appeared to justify what he was going to do. That self-assurance that it was for the better.

Skull felt immediately attracted.

He had set up a small encampment for himself, lighting up a small fire in a clear part of the dense forest. He willed for the fire to hover over the forest ground, not wanting to anger the spirits of the forest.

He stared at the blaze he conjured, noting the way the fire danced so peculiarly calculated. His finger twitched and the fire followed.

He looked at the top of the castle visible from where he was, the tall towers looking down arrogantly at him. He remembered seeing the moat surrounding the castle, the water dark enough to tell the horrors that it saw.

Skull had the pleasure of seeing many Kings and rulers alike dragged into this realm. King Tsunayoshi's personality was nothing special, obviously inquiring, prideful and arrogant in his own way. Similar to the other ones. But his castle had been bigger, quieter and lonelier.

The King, unlike many of those before him, did not have any of his other belongings came with him to the castle and he reckoned that was why the _ghuls_ had been so interested in him. Many others had their slaves and every other people bound to their favours came with them to Limbo but King Tsunayoshi had been alone.

Skull wondered if King Tsunayoshi was oddly fair and sensible but fair and sensible would not bring him into this realm. There was something more going on in the head of the misleadingly nice King and he was sure he saw it earlier when the King pulled the trigger of his gun without any hint of hesitation.

" _Aren't you mad?_ " a voice suddenly broke into his thought, its whispers loud but raspy. " _Aren't you mad that the King refused to invite you into his land? Aren't you angered that those useless spirits were the one invited instead?_ "

Skull did not need to look to know that it was the _ghul_ murmuring those enticing words to him. _Ghuls_ had a way of knowing what other beings could not stand and it was not a secret that Skull did not like being reminded that he was a failure at all.

Luckily, this time, he was aware that he was the one at fault this time. He had chosen to disregard Reborn's warning and did as he pleased.

"There's no point, _ghul_ ," he refused softly. "I won't fall to the likes of you."

The _ghul_ seethed. " _The likes of us? The likes of us, he said!_ " It laughed. " _He's looking down at us. He's looking down at - no_ ," Skull felt it circling around him, that distinctive aura of one but so many dancing around him. " _He's insinuating that we are lower than him._ "

Skull fought the urge to roll his eyes at the semantics.

" _Tell us, the great and almighty Skull, what makes you so sure?_ " The _ghul_ pushed, the compliments sounding not unlike a curse. Skull did not miss the change of topic as if its fragile composure was not broken for a moment just few seconds ago. " _What makes you so sure that there's no point? The King is obnoxious. He looks down on us simply because we're not as strong as Reborn. He only wants the strong with him, the powerful. Not us. Beings like us are just a waste of his time._ "

The demon's will stirred, the _ghul's_ words hitting the right buttons. That was right. He was a strong demon by his own right but he would never be known as powerful. Not as he was now. Not for as long as there were demons far stronger than him in this realm.

He wanted to curse Reborn now, more so than ever despite it being impossible. He was not a spellcaster like both Aria and Verde. He was Skull, the demon who was known for his fire.

' _He has only myself and two tree spirits in his land, nothing else_ ,' was what Reborn had told him out of the blue. He had asked what brought the disclosure of such information from the normally thrifty demon but he only smiled that unnervingly knowing smile and said, ' _You'll see_.'

As usual, Reborn's prediction was right.

"Don't tempt me, _ghul_." Skull opted for honesty. There was no point lying to the _ghul_ about his weaknesses. "There is no point tempting me with what doesn't exist. I am not ignorant of the fact that King Tsunayoshi allowed two tree spirits into his land, the very race that is considered to be the weakest among all others. Weaker than your kind."

The _ghul_ screamed, enraged. " _How dare you?! How can you not fall for our words?! Think! What could the King possibly do for you if you join him. The King shall be killed, prevented from taking any future action, stopped, ea-_ "

"Stop," Skull growled. "Stop and I'll let you live."

The _ghul_ bristled at the threat but its eyes showed fear when it felt the heat of Skull's fire licking at its skin. It bared its teeth to Skull in defiance. Before it disappeared, it vowed.

" _We swear to you, Skull, that we will bring the King down to his knees._ "

* * *

 **AN: This chapter is actually supposed to be longer but I needed to let this chapter out before I can sleep away my pain because there's some kind of an infection on my gum because of my growing wisdom tooth. Anyway, thank you so much for the reviews, favorites and alerts! Thank you so much for telling me that you guys love this story! And yes, King Tsuna is awesome. Wait until we get to the bits when the actual plot actually starts.**

 **Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! And please do leave me a review! I love reading what you guys think. Oh, and do let me know if you guys would like me to write the meaning of certain terms in the context of this fiction for reference at the beginning of each chapter.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I am simply borrowing the characters for this story. This fanfic will be as original as it can be. Similarities with other fanfics are not intended. The story is not related to any real story and similarities are simply coincidence. Reference to real life places are just to set the setting. This is strictly a work of fiction.**

 **Warning: Shounen-ai. Yaoi. Also, OOC characters and dark theme.**

* * *

To the west of the Kingdom of _Tristia_ laid a stone cave notorious for the rumors surrounding it, that any living thing entering it would find themselves turning to stone within ten minutes of being within it. Whether or not that was true, only a few knew but it was believed that those few people did not live to tell the tale.

The master of the cave picked on the flowers in its hand, the petals that he threw uncaringly onto the stone ground slowly turning to rubbles. He was counting the petals when he felt the air moved and a figure stood in front of the entrance to his cave.

There was a familiar ten year old stepping into his cave, his appearance undoubtedly human. The child was unaffected by his appearance as if a stone in the shape of a man was a daily sight. The child's lips turned into a feral grin, his steel gaze piercing into him, unafraid.

He waited, not wanting to be the one to start the conversation as the _ghul_ circled him. The _ghul_ was probably laughing its ass off but the personified version of it just gave that smirk that he remembered so well.

" _I have something to ask of you,_ sua maestà." Hearing that title in that voice sounded disgusting and if it was possible for stones to itch, he would no doubt be scratching his skin right now. " _I have a proposition that you can never deny_."

"There are a lot of propositions that I can't deny, _ghul_ ," he retorted easily, eyes not leaving that enraging gaze. His fingers brushed against the _ghul_ 's skin but it just look at him with that unnerving gaze. "I just hope that yours are better than everyone else's."

He was not just saying it. There were more than thousands of offers that he received and most of them were the same. He picked them carefully and deliberately. If he was being used anyway, he opted to at least gain something from it.

" _It is regarding the new King_ ," the _ghul_ hissed hatefully. " _The new King is gathering soldiers. We dont know what he's planning but we want to stop his plans, pietra. The King has been unkind to us and we would love to punish him for it._ "

"What's in it for me?" the master of the cave asked. "What will you do for me?"

" _Fame_ ," the _ghul_ whispered. " _Power. Control_." The boy's eyes sparkled. " _A break of the curse_."

"And?" he pushed. "How do I hold you on to that?"

" _Provided that you succeed on your part,_ sua maestà, _we will make sure to make do on our end_." The child neared his face to his, suddenly taller than he was before. " _But if you fail, there will be consequences_."

* * *

Tsuna was a bit surprised at the detailed maps that sat on his table the next morning, together with the multiple scrolls alongside it which he knew without checking included the history of each one of the lands and maybe even the seas.

His fingers traced the names decorating the map, reading them out loud, the words sounding heavy on his tongue. _Gula. Luxuria. Avaritia. Superbia. Tristitia. Ira. Acedia. Vanagloria._ Kingdom's names, he concluded from the capitalized letters stamped on the map in large fonts.

Tsuna had spent his whole life being forced to sit through many sermons if only to keep face. He had never really listened to any of the topics discussed, not at all interested in any of the matters brought up. He believed that all of those things were a given but one Priest had been adamant in making him more grounded. The Priest had made it his life goal to make Tsuna realise that his ways were wrong, that he would only ended up selling his soul to the devil.

" _It would be in your best interest for you to tone down that vainglory of yours, my King_." He remembered the Priest saying. Curious, he brought his finger to _Vanagloria_ , immediately laughing out loud when he saw the cross marking his land right on it. The Priest was right on the mark. If only the Priest knew where exactly Tsuna found himself in right now, he would have sent him a chiding look.

He then realized the unmarked plots around his land and eventually caught on the words 'No Man's Land' right under the Kingdom's land. He wondered what the title could possibly meant because here he was alive and kicking on No Man's Land.

He noticed that unlike the other Kingdoms, the line separating the Kingdom of _Superbia_ from the Kingdom of _Vanagloria_ was almost non-existent. Almost transparent. If he had not been paying rapt attention, he would not even realize that there was one. He had never seen an underemphasized boundary separating two Kingdoms all his life even after learning so many maps. He eyed the scrolls but chose to study the map first before he went on to read them.

Hours probably already went by when a grinning Reborn entered the room loudly, fully intent on announcing his arrival to Tsuna.

"Come on, let's have lunch. The lackey got something for us."

"You go on first," Tsuna suggested without looking up from the scrolls now littered with his own scribbles. "I am quite busy at the moment."

Reborn appeared behind Tsuna, whispering down Tsuna's ear, effectively making Tsuna's hand stopped moving. "Don't be so cooped up on the studying, King Tsunayoshi." When the King lifted his head slightly in a sign of attention, he smirked, making sure that the King could feel it. "There's no point for you to try and conjure up a war if you look scrawny like that. So easy to break. To defeat. Wouldn't it be boring if you enemies don't expect anything from you? Surprise elements lose its momentum quite quick and I so do hope that is not your main strategy."

He did not have any time to retort when he felt the demon's hands under his arms, lifting him up before wrapping around him as they flew through the window.

* * *

The amused look on the purple-haired's male did not escape Tsuna as he landed on his feet ungracefully when Reborn dropped him unceremoniously. He was unable to keep the scowl out of his face and instead he paid absolutely no heed to the demon.

"I'm glad Reborn-senpai managed to convince you into coming," Skull said as a way of greeting. "But is it wise to go out without your coat, my King?" Tsuna's lips twitched at the appreciative look the purple-haired man gave him.

Reborn stood close to him, not even feeling guilty that he let him go without any warning earlier. "The King is a lot of surprises." His wings brushed against Tsuna's shoulder, the feathers tickling his skin but still, Tsuna refused to react to it.

Skull chuckled and for the first time, Tsuna noticed his painted purple lips. Tsuna warily went across from Skull, the fire burning the meat separating them from each other. Reborn followed and took the seat next to him.

"Your affinity is fire," Tsuna said matter-of-factly when he realised that the fire was levitating over the ground. He was transfixed on the fire, never seen anything quite like it. He had exotic performers coming over his castle to perform, no doubt invited by one of the people of his court to distract him. At one time, one managed to seduce him to get into his bed. His memory of it was foggy, due to the incense that the fire breather burned before they let the night took them away. The high that it induced detracted his thinking enough that the only thing running through his head was the feeling of the other's warm lips on every part of his body, the friction that even a slight brush of their skin created, intensified. He was more than aware of the stubble scratching his skin, of the different language coming out of the other's lips which he had deciphered as pleasured moans. Until he felt the sharp end of a blade poking at his navel.

"Affinity?" Skull laughed, shaking his head. "You can say that. But I do not derive it from nature. This is something I create myself." He moved his finger and the fire burst, covering the meat but Tsuna could not feel the heat that was supposed to be there. "I control the essence of fire."

"Like magic." Tsuna said in awe, fingers touching the warm element.

"Not quite. I would call it ability, Your Highness."

Tsuna smiled, watching the fire intently.

"Do you know what mine is, Dame-Tsuna?" Reborn intruded on the peaceful conversation, obviously not liking the fact that his presence was not acknowledged while simultaneously peeving Tsuna with the use of the nickname.

"What?" Tsuna snapped. "Other than annoying me?"

Reborn grinned at the lack of practiced expression that Tsuna had shown to Skull. "Yes. Other than that."

Tsuna eyed his wings. "I know nothing much about you other than the fact that you're one manipulative demon."

Reborn grinned, satisfied. "You're very much way off the mark, Tsuna. You better get more accurate information about me from those spirits of yours." He cut off the meat with the blade Skull left lying on a piece of cloth. He placed a cut meat on another clean piece of cloth and handed it to Tsuna. "You would like to eat that while it's still hot, Tsuna."

* * *

As soon as he felt that the King left the compound, Pthalo immediately went to sit on the wooden bridge. He then stretched his legs, his legs lengthening until his feet were submerged ankle deep into the murky water. He closed his eyes, savouring the cold feeling against his skin, the root-like fingers of his feet taking every memory it could soak in.

The sounds of battle filled his ears and there was the calming sound of chaos as soldiers shouted over the boom caused by cannonballs. Gun fires were exchanged and the sound of people falling into the moat kept repeating in his ears, the weak shouts of the ones fighting to stay alive slowly consumed by the darkness of the water.

Similar memories followed and it made him more aware of the number of times enemies had tried to make the castle fall and failed. He had always known that the castle was never safe from invasions or rebellions alike judging from the scratches and the chipped off stones on it. It was already clear to him from the King's request for him and Viridis to produce a map that the King was not a stranger to an act of war. The King had seen many things and he wondered if all the deep scars he saw covering his body was a reminder of his glory or if some were signs of his failure. His scars probably told more the stories than the waters can but beggars could not be choosers.

He searched and went through the memories quickly, only stopping when he thought he saw a glimpse of the King. The number of times that an image of the King appeared was only when he went to pass by the bridge. He had seen many expressions on the King than the ones he had actually seen since he saw him, none of them looking genuine than the other. He was growing more and more bored as scenes after scenes played until he saw the King looked emotionlessly into the water onto the face of the sole figure who was trying to save himself as his arms flailed around in an attempt to swim.

"I've told you, my King, and I'm telling you again," the man shouted, choking and spluttering. "One of these days, that vainglory of yours will get you dead."

The King had looked down at him then, the intensity of his eyes making Pthalo thought that it was really directed at him.

"Then it is unfortunate that I do not have any problem with that."

The man in the water, a priest, said something in response but he pulled out his feet just as Viridis stepped out of the castle, a frown on his large face.

"There's someone heading here."

Pthalo pulled himself up, his feet still wet. If Viridis knew what he was doing, he was doing a good job hiding it. Either that or he simply did not care. "Who?"

"One whose footsteps are heavier than normal."

"One person..." Pthalo pondered in thought. "Not an army?"

"The ground would've shaken more if there are more than one person."

Pthalo looked up at the taller spirit, "And yet his intent is clear enough for you to tell me of this."

"It is not his intent that is clear but his determination." Viridis stared ahead into the forest, probably towards where he felt the King's presence was. "He's heading towards the King. The two _gallas_ are probably aware of the unwelcomed visitor."

Pthalo caught the expression Viridis was sporting, the silent acquiescence for whatever the two higher level demons were planning.

Pthalo hated the fact that they were born as lowly tree spirits whereas _gallas_ like Reborn and Skull sprouted from the depths of Hell strong. It was expected for there to be a very wide difference in strength and for there to be a very large disparity between classes of demons. Such was Hell where inequality was at its peak. But that did not stop Pthalo from being irked by the fact that he could not win against those gallas. There was an intolerable understanding that spirits like them would be decapitated in a milisecond and that was something that he would do his very best to avoid.

"Then it is probably a test," Pthalo said monotonously. "They are probably testing our King for what he's worth."

Viridis was silent for a few seconds. "What makes you accept the King's proposition so readily after a few centuries, Pthalo?"

"You tell me."

A grin came on Viridis' face. "The King's sight is special."

"Indeed, it is."

"So let's just put our faith on the King."

* * *

Tsuna gurgled, wanting to wash away the vile taste of the lower class demon meat from his tongue. He had only managed to school his expression so much until the very last bite. He feigned being thirsty as soon as he gulped down the last bit of the portion given to him and almost ran as soon as Skull pointed towards the direction of the river.

Although, Skull just smiled as usual, Reborn must have picked up his distaste for the food when he asked.

"Do you eat other food other than lesser demon's meat?" he had asked as he attempted to pull the stubborn meat off with his teeth. The food chain could not be that narrow in a wide realm like this.

Reborn nodded, the glint in his eyes obvious even as his expression did not change. "We do. Why, Tsuna? Don't you like the taste? If you want human food, we can probably get some from one of the humans."

Tsuna tried not to give a witty comeback. Now he told him after bugging him to eat the lesser demon's meat. "Just curious." He held back a gag when the slimy juice covered his tongue.

"We do eat animal meat. But it doesn't give us the satisfaction that demon's meat gives."

Satisfaction. Of course. That made more sense. Because it would not have made any sense if someone actually ate this sorry excuse for a meat for its taste. It was not gratifying and Tsuna could not find it in him to feel at least satisfied for being served a good meat, if this could even be called one.

Tsuna spat out the handful of water he took into his mouth but the taste still lingered. He could still smell the foul odour of the meat clinging to his skin. He reckoned he should try washing himself off though he did miss the scented bath prepared for him by the castle maids.

When he was satisfied that the river was clean and safe without the possibility of some creature jumping on him, he took off his clothes and went into a different part of the river but not before making sure that his clothes were carefully folded and within reach.

He went on to scrub his arms and neck, remembering how the revolting juice flowed down his chin. He tensed a bit when he heard footsteps coming towards his direction but calmed when he heard that enraging 'hmmm' he was accustomed to by now.

"I wouldn't have pegged you as the kind to skinny dip, Tsuna."

Tsuna sent him a glare through his peripheral vision. "That was disgusting."

"Oh, I don't think that's disgusting at all," Reborn replied, the direction of his gaze below Tsuna's waist which was strategically hidden by the water implying that there were not at all talking on the same topic.

Tsuna busied himself cleaning, not minding that the winged demon took a seat to watch him as if he was an entertainment. "I'm afraid that we're not discussing the same thing."

"Aren't we now?"

"I'm quite sure that Skull was actually attempting to buy my trust with the meat," Tsuna concluded, remembering how Skull was looking at him expectantly when he took the first bite. "I hope there won't be any rumors about it being my favorite food."

"Oh, King Tsunayoshi." Tsuna could hear the grin in his voice, disliking how the title sounded so derogatory coming from the demon. "You underestimate me too much. Why would there not be any such rumor circulating around?"

"Exactly my concern," Tsuna muttered under his breath. He turned around without meeting those depthless eyes directly. He walked back up the stones surrounding the river. Reborn did not even bother to hide as his eyes trailed down his toned stomach to his limp cock. "You're not exactly being discreet, you know," Tsuna commented drily. "You obviously have something planned."

"I'm sure you wanna know exactly what I have planned." Tsuna just blinked at the suggested double meaning behind his words, putting his clothes back on.

"Then tell me." He demanded, referring not at all to what Reborn was implying.

"Oh, I don't know where to start."

Tsuna was buttoning up his white shirt when he finally decided to roll his eyes. "I am getting tired with these double meanings."

Reborn grinned. "To be fair, I wasn't the one who started it, Tsuna. Actually," Reborn looked up at the sky. "I think it's about time we go back to the castle."

"That's a bit unusual," Tsuna pointed out. "You wanting me to stay in."

"Don't get me wrong, Tsuna. I don't really mind if you want to stay out here." He stood up just as Tsuna finished donning his boots. "By all means."

Tsuna raised an eyebrow. "Am I supposed to be worried?"

The winged demon shrugged neither a yes nor a no.

Tsuna eyed the direction of Skull's camp before looking directly into the suspiciously emotionless ebony orbs. He frowned and in a stern voice, "I don't like surprises. Fly me back."

"And there you go ordering me again."

* * *

 **AN: Lol, yes, I changed the warning. It's been almost two weeks but here's Chapter 4 for you guys! I was supposed to upload this last Sunday but the wifi here was slow af. I'm currently in the process of editing the fifth chapter so fingers crossed, it might be out this Sunday! And thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favourites! I also noticed that there's been an increase in the number of readers than usual judging from the number of views. Thank you so much for your interest, guys!**

 **To answer sashimilove's question, kinda. It might work the other way too. Maybe. ;)**

 **As for Lilecpearl, I hope you love the hint in this one.**

 **Please do leave me a review on your way out! I really need the push, lol.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I am simply borrowing the characters for this story. This fanfic will be as original as it can be. Similarities with other fanfics are not intended. The story is not related to any real story and similarities are simply coincidence. Reference to real life places are just to set the setting. This is strictly a work of fiction.**

 **Warning: Shounen-ai. Yaoi. Also, OOC characters and dark theme.**

* * *

The master of the stone cave was startled when the familiar wave of power slapped him across the face, right at the moment the King's presence started to move away from him, throwing him off course. The air around him grew heavy with the pressure that the demon was emitting but he would not let the demon terrorized him.

He willed his feet to move. It did not matter that the demon was stronger than him. It did not matter that the demon could break off his neck with a swing of his arm. He was already so close to getting the solution to his curse even if it was just an empty hope. Even if the _ghul_ was only manipulating him for their own desires.

The demon landed in front of him, blocking the path forward, his wings just as large and imposing as he remembered. Dark matters oozed from the bottom of the demon's feet as he made his way towards him, his lips pulled into a grim line.

"Not yet. Too early," was the only thing that Reborn said.

"There is no such thing as too early to get the cure," he countered, pushing his feet, now heavy as a lead, to move. "The _ghul_ came to me with a good proposition. I am going to see it come to fruition. I am tired of living like this. Cursed. On the verge of death."

The cursed man felt tendrils of power circling around his feet, holding them down to the ground as the demon approached him, effectively stopping him from moving any further. He hated his current body as it robed him off the speed that he used to have. It was frustrating to have a body as fucking heavy as lead but it was even more upsetting that he was unable to touch anything without it turning into stone. As soon as that thought passed by his mind, he grabbed the demon's arm and felt a temporary sense of satisfaction when he felt the skin turning hard and rough. To his dismay, the demon was not deterred, a feral smile coming to his face. "Let go or your arm will be the first to go."

Dark matter hovered around his shoulder and under his arm, circling around it. Grey dust fell to the ground as the dark matter sawed against his skin but he felt nothing.

"We both know exactly what will happen if I annihilate you. Are you that excited to stay there forever? Awake but unable to move."

The cursed man hissed, "Whose fault was it that I'm cursed like this?! You have so many enemies out there, Reborn, and if I put my mind to it, I will be able to gather an army out of them."

"Talk without action isn't going to get you anywhere," Reborn sliced through the cursed man's stone arm. The man cussed and glared at him. "I'll let you attack the King and get whatever you plan on getting. But it wouldn't be fun if the King is not yet ready. At this point, you'll have the upper hand. A sure win isn't that satisfying, you know."

"What does the King have to lose? I am handicapped right now." He felt Reborn's arm fully turning to stone so he let go. He was unable to keep the satisfied smile from his face. "Well now he has a lot to worry. It seems that his only protector lost an arm too."

Reborn chuckled. "What ever happened to you?" The stone man took a step back when he saw the black mist swirling around the demon's now stone arm like a tornado, his smile dropping. Fear filled him when he found whiteless black eyes staring back at him. "That's a commendable attempt on your part, trying to break my arm into pieces. Have you really forgotten who I am?"

The next second, the demonic face was right before him and before he could scream, the demon moved, closer to the stone man.

"In case you've forgotten," the demon's hardened arm exploded into pieces, the shards hitting the man's hard physique. "Curses don't really affect me. How far you have fallen, my King, that your dignity has gone enough for you to actually consider doing as the _ghul_ said."

The cursed man only watched in horror when the dark matter entered through his mouth and nostrils, puncturing through his beating human heart.

* * *

The ravens were being unnecessarily chipper that day, its shrill calls filling the otherwise quiet forest as it nibbled on the corpses lying on the forest ground, eating and spitting out the fleshes.

Fon wiped off the blood from his cheek, smearing it all over his ear instead. It was a futile attempt because the stink was still as strong as it was and the iron smell was overpowering his other senses but at least the red liquid was no longer dripping off him like sweat.

Fon was not usually a wild fighter but when the hunters started firing their arrows at him just as he found a spot to read his scroll at, he was a bit annoyed. He could agree that he did went a bit overboard but he was just not in the mood to stall. He made sure that there were no more hunters left before he went back to the perfect shaded area that he found on his stroll away from the camp, sitting with his back leaning against the tree with his sword at his side.

It did not bother him, not even in the least bit, that the ground was covered with the corpses of the human hunters who were out to get him as soon as they saw that he was letting his guard down. It seemed like none of them understood that although he was the epitome of calm, his instinct was sharp enough that he did not need to be on guard to actually be able to protect himself and made a counter attack.

He had always made it a point to be as unforgiving as he could to his enemies. He was the kind of being who did not understand the purpose of mercy especially when it only guaranteed that the enemies would return eventually. This time, he was kind enough to not gobble them up and just cut them up with his sword. He was not in the mood to get his claw dirty. It was a pain trying to clean the stubborn dirt that got caught under his nails. The spoilt humans had their lives easy with numerous servants catering to their every need.

He picked his scroll back up, not minding the blood that splattered on it. He dusted off the grains of dirt collecting on the surface. The messy handwriting obviously inked angrily across the pages glared at him, inciting a smile from his face at the obvious rage that was transferred onto the paper without actually destroying it.

" _Fon, you bastard_ ," the scroll started with. " _I sent you a letter before I came to visit to tell you about the proposition from Reborn but you didn't tell Colonello about it. You even replied to it. Ass. Reborn gave me hell for failing that mission. That jerk lied to me about the King's favorite food and I only found out that the King hated a lessor demon's meat when he fucking ran off to the river and never came back. Just when I decided that the King is worth to stand by with too._ "

" _You asked for a story on the King in your letter and unlike you, I'll act on my end of the bargain. Because I'm not an ass like you._ _You told me to test the King and you know what?_ _I actually did just that even after what you did. But I'm glad that you told me to do that. Do you know that the King has lovely eyes? I am completely and utterly enamoured._ "

Fon tried not to snort.

" _I know what you're thinking. I always fall easily. I fell just as easily for the last one too. That's just how I, the almighty Skull-sama, am. You wouldn't believe it unless you see it but Reborn is attached to him. I could hardly believe my eyes. We all know the story that trailed Reborn, wherever he goes. That he's the premonition of chaos. All I can tell you now is that I can definitely see the chaos brewing in the King's eyes. I've never seen such look on a mere human._ "

Fon saw a movement and it took only a look from him for the human hunters to scamper about. He noted, satisfied, that all of them were alive.

He turned back his attention to the scroll but it was not long until he lost interest in it as Skull just kept going on about himself and how the King was the most beautiful human he had ever seen. Fon was not interested in other things other than the character of the King. It had been long since there was a new King entering this realm and never was there a human who had set a food beyond the invisible boundary separating _Superbia_ and _Vanagloria_ and remained unscathed.

There must be something about the King that his land would be situated there. Fon wanted to understand the King's character. He felt that that was the only way for him to get his answer.

He just left the scroll be drowned by the pool of blood before taking his leave.

* * *

Reborn did not send Tsuna back, excusing himself from that by saying that the moment when Tsuna rejected his offer, it no longer stood. Tsuna walked back alone, avoiding the general area where Skull was, not wanting to meet the demon lest Reborn manipulated the other into doing something else.

He went back to his study as soon as he finished changing, not at all surprised to see Reborn lounging on his chair with his feet on the table. The winged man was reading a book that Tsuna recognized as the one that he set aside into his to be read pile in the library. He picked up the scroll that he last read together with the map before he went to the discussion table in another part of the room where he used to discuss war strategies with the Generals of his Kingdom's fleet.

They entered into a comfortable silence, both focussed on the reading materials they had in their hands. Tsuna was reaching the end of the scroll for the Kingdom of _Superbia_ but still, there was no mention of the invisible boundary dividing it from _Vanagloria_. Tsuna had gone through _Vanagloria_ 's scroll before delving into _Superbia_ 's and he remembered the frustrating one liner in it. That it was a No Man's Land.

"Viridis," he summoned. "Pthalo, too." The spirits appeared not long after, halting at the entrance when they saw Reborn at the desk. "Don't mind him."

The two spirits moved quietly towards Tsuna, flinching when Reborn's burning stare was trained on them. Tsuna sighed at the spectacle, patiently waiting for the two spirits to take their place at the discussion table.

"This land. I need more than just a sentence on it," Tsuna demanded, pointing at the plot with Vanagloria stamped on it. "The dividing line, as I understand it, indicates that the lands were one and the same until something happened. Boundaries are usually a result of war, an indication that a land is taken but while all the history of how every one of the lands came to, there was none told for _Vanagloria_."

Viridis and Pthalo shared a look before Viridis bowed his head, his eyes meeting Tsuna's. "That, I would like to apologize, my King. While _Vanagloria_ was indeed part of _Superbia_ , it never existed before that. The Kingdom of _Vanagloria_ is called a No Man's Land simply because no one could set foot on it. Before recently, it was only a land beyond the boundary where people who wished to cross the invisible barrier would get transported back to the normal lands, either something lost or cursed. I would have said something more than that had I have the necessary knowledge but alas, my King, I don't."

"Vanagloria had been a No Man's Land for more than hundred years, my King. We spirits couldn't leave our forest, not until we get an invitation, but even then it depends on the will of the one who invited us. Unlike the other beings in the realm, we don't have a strong physical presence. We had been unable to act on our curiosity to check the Kingdom until you came and invite us."

Tsuna nodded at Pthalo's explanation. "But that doesn't explain why I am able to live here."

"The realm has its own will, my King." It was Viridis who said this. "If the realm wills it, then it will happen no matter how impossible it seems."

Tsuna thought of it. "And this is decided how?"

"Limbo," it was Reborn who answered this,surprising the two spirits. Reborn was not someone who would give information so readily. The demon turned a page. "When you are at Limbo, you are being assessed to some extent on your memories."

* * *

Reborn groggily looked at the King who disturbed his nap with absolutely no fear on his face. Reborn was a light sleeper by nature so his sharp ears caught the sound of the King pulling his chair closer to the one he was sleeping at. There was an annoying screech when the King dragged the other chair and Reborn did not need to ask the King to know that the sound was made deliberately. He narrowed his eyes at Tsuna who was looking at him with his court expression, the one that made him wonder just what was going on behind it and tease it out of him and yet also made him feel like torturing the truth out of the King. He pulled his head away from the desk and stared down at the smaller man who was looking at him warily.

"Why are you so special?" Tsuna asked.

"If that's what you woke me up for, Dame-Tsuna, you might find yourself losing a limb or two the next time you wake me up."

"While you were sound asleep, Pthalo and Viridis told me everything. Of what they know of you."

"I hope it's nothing good," Reborn retorted, stretching his arms while letting loose a rather large yawn.

"You have my utmost gratitude for cleaning up the unnecessary animosity and left him in the forest, though. My spirits think that our guest came here to destroy me. They thought that you were going to test me out and thought against it when Viridis felt me returning back within the safety of the gates." The King 's voice suddenly dropped down a note. "But I think not. Whatever you're planning might not be in motion and shouldn't be. Yet." The King's knowing eyes were unnerving, like he could read exactly what Reborn was thinking. "At least that is the only explanation I could think of since you insisted that I returned first."

"Of all the spirits you could have picked up, you picked the ones who love to gossip."

"You haven't even heard the other things they told me," Tsuna began, a smile stretching over his lips. The smile was not something that Reborn used to see directed at him and he could not even imagine what it meant but the disappointment in it was particularly unnerving. "They told me about your relation to our cursed guest and how he ended up like he did."

Reborn remained composed, knowing that the King would know something about him sooner or later. He was not exactly the most feared _galla_ for nothing.

"You took in a human King before." There was a silent _'too'_ in his sentence. "You stayed by his side until your final plan for him did not go as you imagined it would. You had expectations for him and he was unable to meet them. I have read historians' take on that King's story, Reborn. I've sat with my tutors studying their accomplishment and mistakes, their legacy, and this King's is one of the most notable ones." The intelligence shining in the King's eyes were undeniable. Reborn wondered just how deep it ran. "He was hailed as the one who introduced the use of horses in warfare, of the significance of its speed back in the days. King Dino Cavallone." Tsuna eyes glazed in thought as he recited from memory. "The King who loved horses and who ironically died because of the horses that he so loved when he fell off it during a friendly hunt."

"When he arrived to this realm, you collected him and tricked him into inviting you to his land. You gained him thousands of armies of different beings whose abilities are different from each other and yet are necessary for the battles ahead. You helped him gain his army without him asking because you wanted to incite him to war, you don't want to give him any other choice so you took all choices from him. After wars and wars, a land started to emerge from the ground without there being any other King coming in. King Dino was known for his greed, gambling on his beloved horses so you fed that greed by making him try to claim the vast land that appeared. You knew that there was a barrier but you gambled on his greed to see whether or not he would succeed. But the barrier rejected him and left him cursed into what he is now. And then you left him."

Reborn stayed quiet, waiting for the King to get to his actual point.

"If you are still trying to realize whatever you have been planning for thousands of years, Reborn, then I'll willingly play right into your hands. It seems like our goals intersected somewhere and I really have nothing to lose at this point." His orange eyes flashed in that way that Reborn now understood to mean that the King had finally found a new goal worth achieving. "I don't know exactly what's so special about you but I'll tell you this. I will help you realize your plan and achieve whatever that is that you want to achieve because now that I know the extent of your influence," a smile that looked fairly insane appeared on the King's face, "I promise you that I won't ever let you go."

Reborn felt his blood heated. He gave an insane smile of his own. "And you expect me to accept this unilateral agreement as it is."

"It's not one-sided if the consideration favors both sides." The King's tone then became more demanding. "I heard that there are a few of your kind: _gallas_. Two of them particularly are currently involved in a battle and they seem to have a number of armies. I want you to bring me to their encampment tomorrow."

Reborn gave a condescending grin. "I would've thought that you'd be too scared to visit an encampment, Tsuna. But really," his voice became even more dangerous, "Don't say it as if I've never had any plan of making you meet them."

* * *

 **AN: Now that I finally have my work out of the way, I am finally able to post this up! And omg guys! You guys are the best! Thank you so much for all the reviews, favourites and alerts! I'm very glad that you guys love the last chapter. Annnndddd, there's one backstory covered. Kinda. Not totally. But yes. I hope you guys are excited for the next chapter! And where is Skull during the whole ordeal I wonder. Also, I know that this chapter opens up a floodgate of questions but it will all be answered in due time ;)**

 **Please do leave me a** **review on your way out! I really need the push, lol.**


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I am simply borrowing the characters for this story. This fanfic will be as original as it can be. Similarities with other fanfics are not intended. The story is not related to any real story and similarities are simply coincidence. Reference to real life places are just to set the setting. This is strictly a work of fiction.**

 **Warning: Shounen-ai. Yaoi. Also, OOC characters and dark theme.**

* * *

Dino abruptly sat up, greedily swallowing as much oxygen as he could as soon as he heaved back to life. He felt the familiar feeling of blood pumping through his veins. His limbs felt unbelievably warm and he wondered if the curse was finally broken.

Maybe this was the cure to his curse. Maybe he just needed to die once, killed directly from the inside. Maybe it was just that easy to hope.

He scanned down his body and fought the disappointment creeping up his heart. He should know by now that it would not be that easy. That it might not be easy to find that unknown variable that might just be able to help him.

That was the main reason why he accepted the ghul's proposition. The new King might be the unknown variable. He was willing to gamble on it. If at first that was only an inkling, now he dared himself to say that he could bet on it.

The King entered the world just when he was losing his hope to get back to normal. He was actually starting to feel that he was more than alright with staying in his state for more years. It was the shaking of the ground and the unrest of the wind that made him aware of the fact that the King was someone important for this world. He had experienced it one too many times to understand the meaning of the different magnitudes.

He saw a movement in his peripheral vision, the familiar pair of purple eyes looking down at him sending memories of the other times when this happened. The painted lips curved into a familiar smile filled with a fondness that he was well accustomed to but there was none of the usual wildness. This was the demon who said that he would stay but left as soon as Reborn abandoned him.

"Skull," he greeted nonchalantly. He learnt that it was better not to be emotionally attached especially in this realm. He dropped down all his walls once and look where it led him.

"Dino, my King," Skull greeted softly, almost awkwardly. He dropped his bottom to the ground, making Dino realize only then that the demon was crouching over him.

Dino warily checked his whole body, still upset that the curse was still not broken, for any sort of damage. It was a pain not being able to feel anything. He lost an arm from what Reborn did earlier but he could not even be aware of it had he not constantly let his brain remember it but he duly noted that apart from that, he was alright.

"Don't worry, I didn't do anything to you. I was just observing whether or not you will return back alive. Guess Reborn never made a mistake after all."

Dino could not have but laugh bitterly. "That's not true. Look at me." He brought himself. "I'm the embodiment of his mistake."

"You're wrong. Reborn isn't that petty. He most likely left you because you are no longer useful to him."

"Right," was Dino's only answer. He brought himself up, the demon following his movements. "And that's what he'll do to the new King. And you."

Skull scrutinized Dino closely in that unusually observant way of his. He remembered back when they worked as a trio. Skull was often ridiculed for his docile character as he preferred to follow and not to be followed. It was a preference which was not unheard of in the demon world but was derided.

That did not mean that Skull was less demonic than the other demons. Skull was the kind of demon who would stab anyone from the back despite his supposed innocence. As such, he was extremely observant. His purple eyes were quick to catch on the tell tales no matter how minute they were. "What is it that is pushing you to do this, Dino? Is it really the need to break the curse? Or is there some other reason?"

"I have every reason to break the curse." Dino gave Skull a heated stare. "This curse affect more than just my appearance. It dried me off my wealth, robbed me of my land, exiled me out of my home. Is it really that unbelievable?"

"And you believe the _ghul_ would be able to help you?"

Dino laughed hysterically. "As opposed to you _gallas_ , I can definitely trust them better."

Skull's expression still screamed that he was not buying any of his shit. Instead the demon's lips stretched. "Consider this as an advice from the great Skull-sama, Dino. Your feelings for Reborn should not be the motivation for you to break your curse. But then again, that's exactly what I admire about you. Your stubborn loyalty that makes you lose track of what's right and wrong is particularly enchanting."

Dino was startled into silence, not ready to hear those words. He looked at Skull's direction, eyes trained on Skull's forehead. "I would rather that you wouldn't link everything to our past. I live for my future now. I won't get so hung over my memories."

"Lies," Skull shot back. "I've known you for years and I have yet seen you get motivated by your future." His purple eyes traced down Dino's figure. "You often get obsessed by your past."

* * *

They had been in the sky when hundreds of arrows came accelerating towards them. Tsuna had looked at the oncoming arrows with barely concealed horror, half convinced that Reborn purposefully conjured up the dark shield around them at the very last minute. Their assailants were not deterred as another array of arrows came towards them, seemingly more powerful than the last.

Tsuna attempted to look at Reborn's face when he heard a sharp intake of breath but was stopped short when the arms around him tightened and Reborn jerked him around. Reborn moved out of the arrows' predicted trajectory but they were not ready when the arrow changed its direction and aimed for them from the sides. The shield around them blinked and Reborn immediately spread his wings over himself, effectively shielding the King from the sharp ends of the arrow.

Reborn had let out a growl before he grabbed a couple of the arrows with one hand and descended towards the ground at full speed. He threw the arrows towards a lone blonde haired guy with similarly colored wings with amazing accuracy. The others in what Tsuna could tell was an army camp looked on as if this was a usual happening.

Tsuna was elated as soon as his eyes landed on the blonde, his mind processing the familiar camouflage uniform before it did the fact that this guy was the perpetrator who shot those arrows at them.

* * *

The encampment was expectedly rowdy. He tried to ignore the moans and grunts and the cheers surrounding them and the fight to the death going on at the other part of the encampment. He was drinking in the sight, taking note of the numerous human looking demons littering around the forest ground. Some sported unusually colored features whereas others sporting unusual appendages. His eyes caught a pair of sunshine yellow ones and smirking lips. Tsuna averted his gaze after narrowing his eyes at the demon, not liking the challenge in the demon's eyes. To what, he was not sure.

It was unusually satisfying that these people were letting their guards down around him, their real personalities bared to him. Tsuna was so used to people treading on eggshells around him, trying to gain his favors while acting otherwise behind his back. It was fun taking part in their games. They were fools for thinking that Tsuna had not been aware of it. Wealth was power back in the living world and he held the most wealth in his Kingdom.

Tsuna's attention was immediately averted when a pained grunt diverted it to the blonde demon sitting across him, his blonde wings sporting multiple arrows through it. He pulled them slowly and carefully, the large appendage twitching at every attempt.

"What a bastard. A visitor doesn't usually dare attacking the head of an encampment."

"Serves you right. Who was it who started attacking first?" Reborn did not escape unscathed. There were multiple scratches on him and a few particularly deep ones on the sensitive appendages spread across his back.

"That was a welcome, you know. If I actually wanted to kill you, you won't be left with just scratches. It's therefore considered rude to return those back." Colonello turned his attention to Tsuna ignoring the retort that was forming on Reborn's lips, his blue eyes intensely scrutinising him. "You might want to treat those wounds before they get infected, Your Highness."

Tsuna glanced at the wound on his arm, noticing the blood dripping from it. He shrugged his shoulder, flinching a bit when the wound behind his shoulder seemed to stretch. "They'll heal."

"And there's that stupidity all humans seem to possess," the blonde demon pointed out, grunting as another arrow was pulled out. "They don't seem to realize how fragile their body are." He smiled and gazed at him seductively, his intention clear before the words even escaped his mouth. "Would you like me to demonstrate just how fragile your body is, your Highness? We can discuss this in my tent after this."

Tsuna felt Reborn's eyes on him, gauging his reaction. He gave the blonde a thin diplomatic smile. "I don't mind taking you on your offer, Colonello. I'm not a stranger to dangerous sex at all. I'm just worried that you might not be able to satisfy me." The accepting look in Colonello's eyes were as obvious as the sky but Tsuna knew it would be long before he even gained the demon's approval.

Colonello just guffawed. "I see why you chose to be by his side, Reborn." He looked at the other demon who only stared back. "He lacks fear." A movement caught his eye and Tsuna followed his line of vision only to see a long-haired man dressed in full chinese garb as opposed to Colonello's soldier uniform. "Fon! Look who are here to visit us."

The demon named Fon gave Tsuna a calming smile before settling beside Colonello. "What a pleasant surprise, King Tsunayoshi. I've never seen the soldiers so excited since Reborn first came here."

"Oh?" Tsuna started, disinterested. "I completely understand. Reborn loses his interesting factor as soon as you hear him talk." He looked around, gauging the strength and credibility of the soldiers, noting that the soldiers were all built for war. "May I know which one of your soldiers are the strongest?"

"I'm quite sure they meant something else, Tsuna." Reborn pointed.

"I'll take it to mean whatever I want to take it to mean." Tsuna began, smiling. "I've trained with soldiers and assassins alike before but I can't say that I came out as the best."

"Believe me, Your Highness, if you train here with us, you'll definitely get out of here the best." Colonello tested his wings, free of arrows. The wings suddenly disappeared, something that he had not seen Reborn do. Tsuna would have thought that he was human had it not seen the inhuman glint of his blue eyes. "Of course, you might have to die a multiple times."

"I'm fine with dying," Tsuna announced without stopping for a thought, causing Reborn to snort. Tsuna knew that the demon was relieving the time when Skull attempted to eat him, to which his action contradicted his statement right now. Tsuna glared at him. "I'm fine with dying," he tried again with an obvious 'but' hanging at the end of the words, "if I put mind to it."

"You're talking as if you've paid your mind to dying," it was Fon who spoke out what all three demons were thinking. Colonello shifted in his seat, anticipating what Tsuna was going to say while Reborn just stared in that usual unnerving way of his.

But Tsuna was prepared for this day. It was a story he had wanted to tell if only he got the right prompt. Tsuna's lips curved up at the sign of having a upper hand in this, even if it was an information directly pertaining to himself with probably no importance to others.

It was a slight shift but the demons in the camp felt it and the three closest to Tsuna saw it in the King's eyes when they flashed the brightest orange, sharper. The whole encampment fell into silence as the pressure settled within them but more than that, they wanted to hear what the King had to say.

"I blew down my Kingdom with everyone in it," Tsuna grinned proudly, the unusualness of his character showed for everyone to see. "It might be a bit of an exaggeration to say that. Some might have survived, but the ones who were outside the Kingdom at that time will sure be surprised to see what happened." He let out a short laugh. "I would love to see their face."

The reaction was instant as the soldiers started to talk among themselves, none a whisper. Tsuna paid no heed to them. Instead, he turned his full attention towards Reborn who seemed to finally understand something.

"You destroyed your Kingdom," Reborn summarized, "To get back at some people."

"I'm not a saint." Reborn's gaze heated as soon as Tsuna said that. "And I'm not exactly a favorite to sit on the throne." A slow undecipherable smile formed on Tsuna's face, not kind, not mean. "Vongola is a long standing Kingdom, first built out of goodwill. It started as a small village but as time goes by, people migrated to get away from the tyranny of their own Kingdoms." He looked pointedly at all three of them and gestured towards himself. "I'm sure my existence here is explanation enough."

Fon stayed silence, eyes wild. Colonello was the only one who was transparent with his reaction. He guffawed while shaking his head. "That's not a story I've never heard before. A King not favoured by his Kingdom getting to the throne and got his revenge." The laughter turned turned into a mean smile. "I know the reason why you're actually here, Your Highness. These diplomatic talks are only a facade, a needless bargaining play. What you want is my army and you'll start from a mere trainee if you have to but the end result you're aiming is to acquire all of these." He turned Fon as soon as Tsuna's smile hardened. "What do you think we should do? This little King thinks that he can just saunter in and get our agreement with that charm of his."

Fon remained silent before an alarmingly disarming smile. "I would think that we should humor the King, Colonello." His dark gaze turned to Reborn's darker ones and the two shared a smile that sent Tsuna's warning bells ringing.

Tsuna understood power more than anyone else. He had been trapped in the game since he could remember, before he was even crowned as a King.

He just hoped he was ready for whatever he got himself into this time around too.

"What would you think, Tsunayoshi-kun, to start from the very bottom?" Fon crossed his arms over his chest, the limbs hidden under the bright red garb that was so out of place in the encampment, with a smile stretched across his lips.

* * *

 **AN: Chapter 6 is finally out! Oh my God, this must be my shortest chapter yet (except the prologue) but I had particularly busy days since sometime June. Exhaustion made my brain just dry up of the juices so I'm kinda happy that I manage to get this out. It's short but all the things that I want to happen in this chapter happened.**

 **Anyways, thank you for your support guys! All the reviews, all the favorites and the follows, I appreciate them!**

 **Let me know what you think about this chapter.**

 **PS: My brain is dying on me again in a few minutes.**


	8. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I am simply borrowing the characters for this story. This fanfic will be as original as it can be. Similarities with other fanfics are not intended. The story is not related to any real story and similarities are simply coincidence. Reference to real life places are just to set the setting. This is strictly a work of fiction.**

 **Warning: Shounen-ai. Yaoi. Also, OOC characters and dark theme.**

* * *

Tsuna sat down on the cleanest log that he could find in the messy clearing. He tried not to think of what his boots clad feet stepped on when he heard the disgusting squelch from the questionable mixture covering most of the forest floor.

There was something weird about this forest. It was a lot different from the one near his land. It felt stale as if there was no life emitted from the living things. It reminded Tsuna of a war zone where everything seemed to be ripped out of its life source. He tried to remember the area from the drawings prepared by both Pthalo and Viridis but to no avail. Frowning, he intended to study the map a little bit more to understand the geography of this realm.

His head jerked in response to the boisterous laughter coming from the encampment. His shoulders loosened when he saw that there was no one following him here. He returned his focus back to the arrow he was making, tying the stick to a sharp shard of bone he found lying on the ground with a loose thread he pulled off his blood soiled coat.

He was unprepared, both physically and mentally, for what was to come. When he saw Colonello and the rowdy bunch, he was still at ease. They reminded him of his troops back in his Kingdom. It was a familiar sight and interaction, one that he learnt to understand as normal.

Until he met Fon.

The calm looking man was a storm brewing. Tsuna could see it in his eyes of the trust he demanded from the people around him. He could see it in his eyes the need to break those trust just to see the victim wriggle in its betrayal. If Reborn's sinister was as visible as the sun, Fon's sinister would come out when you least expect it.

Tsuna would know. He saw a similar kind of madness in his own eyes.

He had thought that gathering soldiers would have been easy. Back in Vongola Kingdom, there was no man in their right mind who would reject the possibility of becoming a soldier. A soldier was viewed as a hero of war, the upbringer of justice. People trained from an early age just to pass the grueling tests to become a cadet. He experienced it himself and had he not been a royalty, he would not be able to get through the physical tests. What he got for himself was his brain; the only thing that his Kingdom saw as his asset.

He closed one eye to focus on the point of the arrow to see whether it was carefully attached to the stick when a movement on the river caught his attention. There was nothing to be gained from thinking of the past.

A yellow orb emerged from the murky water followed by a similar one, looking suspiciously like a pair of eyes. Tsuna immediately reached for the bow that he stole from the encampment, an act that was probably turned a blind eye on because he was sure that the demon was aware of what he was had in his hand. He gripped hard on the arrow that he had just finished making, thinking whether or not one shot was enough.

He heard of the tales from his soldiers, although he had never met one, of the creature camouflaging itself as a log floating above the river. A few of his soldiers fell victim to the creature's sharp teeth and carnivorous diet and the witnessing soldiers often returned with a fear to go back into the wilds, afraid of getting ripped from limb to limb by the creature. He never understood the fear but he remembered getting excited that he commanded a group of soldiers to try and capture the creature if they encountered it again.

He would not be surprised if a heartless being like that existed in this place or, worse even, it came from this place. Maybe this time he would be able to capture it.

He did not know how long he was in a staring contest with the creature when it swished its tail to move away from him. Tsuna let out a breath he did not realize he was holding but did not let the creature out of his sight until he was sure that it was far enough.

* * *

"The human King does not smell like I expected, Reborn," Colonello said, tossing the dagger he found lying on his table into the air and catch it. "Not with that face."

Reborn scrunched his nose in disgust. "And I thought you're finally over those perverted tendencies of yours." A smirk appeared on his lips, "But don't you find his person interesting?"

Fon let out an amused chuckle. "What I find interesting is the fact that he smells like a human form of a demon. There is only one person who has a similar smell but his sanity is no longer intact."

"And yet, his sanity is."

Colonello snorted, "I would think that someone who blew up his whole kingdom is insane enough. Viper will pale at the thought of the amount of money lost due to that extravagant act." He stabbed the dagger on the wood of his desk. "Although, deciding to perform that with a sane thought seems to say a lot about his character."

Fon ignored Colonello's theatrics. He pondered. "When it comes to humans, their last will before they draw their last breath finalize their character, doesn't it? For the will of this realm to grant him an access to the Kingdom of Vanagloria, he must have had a very interesting thought during his last breath." He shook his head in disbelief. "The King did not even bat an eyelash when we teased him earlier."

Reborn lips turned. "I wasn't teasing though. I would love to see that pride of his broken and that fearless facade to be succumbed by so many fears, it broke him."

Colonello shook his head. "As much as I enjoy seeing you do that, Reborn, this King might be the one holding the key to change this world. The last time you went all out with a King, he got cursed."

Fon stood up from his seat. "I have just remembered something that I'm supposed to do."

Reborn gave him a curious look, his sharp mind catching on the white lie. "I hope that's not a code for a secret plan that you might have, Fon." Reborn's eyes shone dangerously. "None that would hurt Tsuna, I suppose."

Fon chuckled. "I wouldn't have pegged you as someone who would worry about another person." His eyes twinkled. "But rest assured. I have nothing but good plans for the King."

Before Reborn and Colonello could answer, Fon then walked out of the tent with a dismissing wave.

Colonello just laughed especially after seeing the tense expression on Reborn's face. "Fon has been interested in the new King. I've never seen him so invested in a human."

"I know," Reborn replied curtly. He knew of the exchange between Fon and Skull. He felt a bit insulted that Skull would think that he would not be able to find out.

* * *

It was unbelievable how things could turn weird in mere seconds. Tsuna was only a few seconds from finishing with sharpening his arrows when he was startled by the wild grunt just from the left side of the forest and in no longer than a second, a creature with suspiciously similar feature as a boar appeared.

It looked like a boar but from the bloodshot eyes that it had, Tsuna was sure it was not. He has encountered many boars during his travels back in his world but none looked like this one. Its grunt was not one of desperation but out of promises of a predator.

" _Boars are respectful creatures, my King. They fight to survive even though they are weak."_

On a more thorough inspection, Tsuna realised that the creature has webbed feet. He was no biologist but he knew that jumping into the water would not help him in any way.

 _He flinched in surprise. Tsuna was cutting off the meat of the dead boar he killed when the statement crept up his ears. "Desperation is not something respectful. If desperation makes you call for your fellow soldiers and attack a lone person, would you still call that respectful?" Tsuna questioned his strategic advisor._

He kept a calm head and wondered how he could use his arrows but there was no time to pull his bow. It was only a matter of seconds until it decided to jump on him. Despite its size, considering the contradiction that this realm had with common sense, it should be a possibility that notwithstanding the imbalance of its form alone, its speed was something he should watch out for.

" _I believe we were talking about boars, my King. I would like to be excused from this conversation."_

Without any warning, the boar-like creature leaped towards him. It would only be a second until gravity led the boar to rip him from limbs to limbs.

Ah, is this one of those times when your wrongdoings chase you in your afterlife? Tsuna blinked, remembering the way Skull slowly got back alive. Maybe it didn't matter if he managed to get out of this predicament dead or alive. He tasted death once, what difference would it make if he experience it once again?

It turned out he did not need to make any life or death decision when a blur of orange ran out of nowhere onto the boar, restricting the boar's movement. It roared out flames that slowly burnt the boar into ashes, its agonized grunts filling the otherwise silent background.

Through his shock, Tsuna realized that the orange blur was actually an animal covered in flames.

The animal howled to its side before disappearing out of sight and if Tsuna was paying any attention, he would know that it was not a howl of victory but a confirmation of an enemy rendered useless.

* * *

With his feet landing gracefully onto the forest floor, Reborn scanned the area noting the smell of magical flames still hanging in the air among the rancid smell of burnt flesh but he could not hide the grin on his face.

 _Amusing. Very amusing._

"If you're hungry, you could've just told us. There is a lot of food in the camp. I'm sure you can stomach some more lesser demon's meat. It's better than that creature you're roasting, at least."

"What kind of demon is covered in flames?"

Dame-Tsuna really could not take any joke. That was definitely not the answer that he was expecting but he could not help but smirk. It was entertaining how Tsuna could still talk despite the undoubtedly shocking event that just happened. He saw the Tsuna's jaw touching the ground just seconds ago when the creature jumped to his rescue.

"Would you believe me if I say that not all creatures in this realm are _ghuls_ or demons?"

"Then what is it?" Tsuna asked.

Reborn turned his attention to the King, curious. He expected Tsuna to be annoyed by him but his tone was anything but. Tsuna's tone was something that Reborn had not heard of before, inquisitive as if he had an… agenda. "Which creature is it that interests you so much, _my King_?"

Tsuna turned to Reborn with an accusing look in his eyes, ignoring the insulting way Reborn referred to his title. "You were around and yet you dare not help me?"

Reborn was grinning now. "You looked like you were ready to die. I wanted to see your reaction after coming back to life. Do you not want to know what happens when you die, Dame-Tsuna?"

"You can tell me about that right after you tell me what that creature that just saved me was." Tsuna shook his head, replaying the event in his head.

"It's a Neméos léōn," Reborn explained curtly.

"Like the story of _Heracles_ , the mythical hero who was tasked with the _twelve labours_." Tsuna mused, eyes glistening in recognition on the name. "Then the boar must be an _Erymanthian boar_."

Reborn snorted. "May I remind you, my King, that while this place does indeed take some essence from your world, it is not the same." Reborn walked closer to Tsuna. "That boar is a creature created from a _galla's_ curiosity. It is greed personified and it smelt you as one with a potential wealth." He grinned. " _A potential wealth_."

"Something tells me that you're not referring to physical wealth that can be defined in monetary value and assets." He trained a levelled gaze on the _galla_. You're referring to something more valuable, something that can't be quantified in numbers." The replying grin that he received infuriated him so he pushed, using a different tactic. "How is wealth defined in this realm, Reborn?"

"I'm sure I said that this place does take some essence from your world." He took a deep breath, sniffing Tsuna. "Now, if you could tell me what you have planned for the lion, I would decide whether to lend you my knowledge or not."

Tsuna gave a harmless smile, looking straight into the bottomless orb of the demon. "I want a pet."

"Good news then, Tsuna. It seems like you've become a pet for him already." At Tsuna's questioning stare, he decided to elaborate, chuckling. "Lions cannot be owned, Dame-Tsuna. They're the ones who do."

The look of utter disbelief was worth it.

As soon as he went out of his stupor, Tsuna asked, "What happens if I die?"

Reborn smirked, "That's an interesting question." A dark matter shaped like a spear materialised in his hands and into Tsuna's chest. "Why don't you tell me?"

* * *

Fon stood on a tree branch, a hand on the trunk. He amusedly watched the event fold out from the beginning and he was glad he did not miss it. It was a defining moment that gives an insight of what is expected of the new King.

A Neméos lion. A Neméos lion cub came and saved the King.

"I would say that it seems too early to use that creature you stole from Verde's place but I'll say instead that you've done well." He turned to the blonde whose grin could not get any bigger. "It seems like the King is attracting more and more interesting creatures."

"I'll take the gratitude for myself but it was Reborn who let the boar out." He laughed uncontrollably. "It's my first time seeing the lion choosing a human King. I wonder what this means." He crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you think? Should we do as planned and let the King have a taste of our army first or should we just take this chance to immediately jump on the bandwagon?"

Fon jumped onto the ground to join the other man. "Now, now. We have all the time we can have."

Colonello smirked. "I don't quite like how he so easily gave up his life when he thought that there was not a way out. What about you? Reborn got quite possessive seeing your investment on the King."

Fon smiled. "I don't think this and that are the same thing."

"They're not but don't piss him off too much."

"I can't promise that."

* * *

Reborn sat down next to Tsuna's corpse that he laid down on the ground, not caring that there were some remaining of Fávlos' excrements covering the ground beneath the young King's body. This must be their encampment before they moved after the ambush. Colonello and Fon still had not find out who was the perpetrator but Reborn figured they would make themselves known one of these days.

He was dubious that anything would change if the King died once more. That was not how this realm worked. So long as he lived, death was just an endless loop and the King should not be an anomaly to the rule.

He would be lying if he said that he did not for one second wish that that was a possibility.

And true enough, nothing happened.

* * *

 **AN: Thank you so much for the favourites and alerts, guys! I was actually surprised when I saw notifications for this story popping up in my e-mail. To sashimilove, thank you for enthusiasm for this story. I really appreciate it. I'm sorry that this chapter was unable to get out any faster but this is for you. I hope you like it. Hopefully, the next chapter would not be taking this long to go out.**

 **Kindly leave me a review of the story on your way out, everyone! Hope you like the chapter.**


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